Whenever chocolate desserts are mentioned, a majority of people think immediately of chocolate cake. A good chocolate cake is definitely hard to beat! There are many good chocolate cake recipes around and I have several favorite recipes in my personal recipe files. However, I would like to include one that's a reliable and good devil's food cake, called "Red Devil's Food Cake". If you're looking for a standard chocolate cake recipe, here's the one to try. This one can be iced with any favorite icing, but I've found it's particularly good with a Seven-Minute Icing, a buttercream icing, or a cream cheese icing, either vanilla or chocolate flavored.
The reason this cake is named "Red Devil's Food" is said to be due to the excessive amount of baking soda in the recipe, which is 1-1/2 teaspoons. The baking soda combines with the buttermilk in the recipe to not only provide leavening, but gives the cocoa a reddish tint, hence, where it gets its name. I'm including a basic cream cheese icing recipe that would go wonderfully with this cake. This is a good, basic white frosting you could use on many cakes, from chocolate to carrot. Add food coloring and you can dress up any cake for any party.
Let's keep exploring chocolate recipes to whet your chocolate appetite as we get closer to February 14!
RED DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE
2/3 C. Vegetable Shortening
1-1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 C. All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 C. Buttermilk
1-1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 C. Hot Water
1/4 C. Baking Cocoa
Cream shortening with the sugar; add eggs, one at a time, and beat after adding; add the buttermilk and vanilla; combine flour with the salt and gradually add to the creamed mixture; add the cocoa, baking soda, and finally, the hot water; bake in 2 9 inch layer pans or 3 8 inch layer pans, that have been greased and floured, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes (I check them after 30 minutes, since my oven bakes fast) until they test done in the center; remove from pans and let cool; frost as decorate as desired.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/2 Stick Butter, softened
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
4-1/3 C. Confectioner's Sugar
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
In a small bowl, cream the butter with the cream cheese; gradually add the sugar, beating until smooth and creamy; stir in vanilla.
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