Nowadays, the favorite American bakery specialty appears to be Red Devil Cake or Red Velvet Cake which is nothing more than this old-fashioned cake with a mad dash of red food coloring. This is my mom’s recipe which may have no bright red color, but what it lacks in brilliant color it gains in moistness, deep chocolate flavor, and deliciousness. It is inexpensive to make and keeps extremely well.

Devil’s Food Cake was my childhood favorite breakfast – a big slice of cake with a glass of farm-fresh milk. Perhaps that’s why I was buying my dresses in the Chubbiette section!  My mom always topped her cake with the traditional 7-Minute Frosting which she made in a double boiler; I share her recipe as well as the quicker, easier version. With the latter, a heavy-duty, standing electric mixer will speed the process considerably.

Devil’s Food Cake

Makes one 9-inch, 2-layer cake or 8-inch, 3-layer cake

2½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1½ cup sour milk (see Note)

Seven Minute Frosting (recipe follows) or Quick Seven Minute Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Lightly spray two 9-inch round or three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick vegetable spray (or grease and flour them). Line the bottom of each pan with a parchment paper round and lightly spray the paper with nonstick vegetable spray.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

Place the butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle.  Beat on medium until softened. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Add the vanilla and beat to blend.

Lower the speed to medium and begin adding the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the sour milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating until well combined.

Place an equal amount of the batter into each of the prepared pans, gently smoothing the top of each one.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Then, invert onto wire racks to cool completely. Remove and discard the parchment paper.

When cool, place one layer, bottom up, on a cake plate. Coat with frosting and top with the final (or second) layer. If making a two layer cake, completely cover with the remaining frosting. If making a three layer cake, coat the top of the second layer with frosting and place the final layer on top. Then, completely cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.

Serve a room temperature. Do not refrigerate or the frosting will turn sticky and wet.

Note: If you don’t have buttermilk or other sour milk, you can make it by adding 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice to whole milk. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.

Traditional Seven Minute Frosting

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1⅓ cups superfine sugar

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

If you have a double boiler large enough to hold the frosting, use it. Otherwise, fill a pot that is large enough to hold the heatproof bowl you will using to make the frosting with enough water to cover about ⅓ of the bowl. Place over high heat and bring to a simmer.

Combine the egg whites with the sugar, water, corn syrup, and cream of tartar in a large heatproof bowl. Place over the simmering water and, using a hand-held mixer, beat on low until well-blended. Raise the speed and continue to beat until the mixture reads 140º on an instant-read thermometer. Add the vanilla and continue to beat for 7 minutes or until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks when lifted. 

Remove from the heat and continue to beat for about 5 minutes or until cooled slightly.

Use immediately. 

Quick Seven Minute Frosting

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

⅜ cup superfine sugar

1⅛ cups light corn syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whip. Beat on low until frothy. Raise the speed to high and beat until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until glossy. Then, add the syrup and vanilla and continue beating for about 5 minutes or until frosting is very glossy and holds a stiff peak when lifted.

Use immediately.