Devil's Food Cake

The name given to version of a rich dark chocolate cake that was originally developed as a red colored, mild flavored, chocolate cake. Historians believe that the cake was first made in the southern U.S. and also incorrectly believed that the reddish brown color was due to a reaction between the baking soda and chocolate ingredients used in the recipe. Although the cocoa powder does contain red vegetable pigment, the amount is so small and the reaction is typically not sufficient to actually change the color to a deep red. Consequently during the years following the introduction of this cake, those who made the cake typically used red food coloring to create a deeper reddish color for the traditional cake, and thus the name in reference to the Devil. Today, a Devil's Food Cake is made with a higher proportion of cocoa and fat than a typical chocolate cake. After being baked, it becomes a dark chocolate colored cake, mild in flavor that is frosted with a dense white topping. Devil's Food Cake is also referred to as Red Velvet Cake, Red Devil's Food Cake, Waldorf Astoria Cake, and $100 or $200 Dollar Cake.