Chocolate vs Devils food

[Linda123]

Is there a difference between chocolate cake and devil's food cake? if there is, what is the difference?

 

[Andy M.]

There used to be more of a difference than there is today. I think the difference has blurred over time. It was created to be the opposite of angel food cake.

DF cake was originally made with cocoa vs. chocolate in a chocolate cake and often contained a bit of coffee too.

I wonder if you could bake one of each side by side and taste the difference.

 

[jabbur]

I think of devil's food cake as a more dense, dark chocolate cake more like a pound cake compared to the lighter regular chocolate cake.

 

[ChefJune]

I think of devil's food cake as a more dense, dark chocolate cake more like a pound cake compared to the lighter regular chocolate cake.

Not at all, jabbur. Devils food cake, when it's done right, is just as light as any other good cake, with a tender crumb. As I recall, when I was a child, devil's food cake was very popular, and my mom made many for our birthday cakes, with 7 minute frosting. Her devil's food cakes, at least, had an over tone of red color (not at all like red velvet cake). Her recipe is gone along with her, so I can't tell you how it got that way but it was one of the best ever cakes. and NOTHING like a pound cake!

 

[merstar]

Not at all, jabbur. Devils food cake, when it's done right, is just as light as any other good cake, with a tender crumb. As I recall, when I was a child, devil's food cake was very popular, and my mom made many for our birthday cakes, with 7 minute frosting. Her devil's food cakes, at least, had an over tone of red color (not at all like red velvet cake). Her recipe is gone along with her, so I can't tell you how it got that way but it was one of the best ever cakes. and NOTHING like a pound cake!

I agree - it has a very tender, moist, perfect crumb - much lighter than a pound cake. This is my favorite recipe: (I make it as a two-layer cake, omit the white frosting, and make extra chocolate ganache for both the filling and the frosting. I use Ghirardelli semisweet for the ganache):
DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH FLUFFY WHITE FROSTING
http://www.godiva.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?id=518

 

[Andy M.]

I agree - it has a very tender, moist, perfect crumb - much lighter than a pound cake. This is my favorite recipe: (I make it as a two-layer cake, omit the white frosting, and make extra chocolate ganache for both the filling and the frosting. I use Ghirardelli semisweet for the ganache):
DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH FLUFFY WHITE FROSTING
Devil's Food Cake with Fluffy White Frosting at Godiva.com

Oh my, that looks good!

 

[merstar]

Oh my, that looks good!

It is! I've made it countless times - every year for my husband's birthday. Nice and deep chocolatey with a velvety crumb.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Not at all, jabbur. Devils food cake, when it's done right, is just as light as any other good cake, with a tender crumb. As I recall, when I was a child, devil's food cake was very popular, and my mom made many for our birthday cakes, with 7 minute frosting. Her devil's food cakes, at least, had an over tone of red color (not at all like red velvet cake). Her recipe is gone along with her, so I can't tell you how it got that way but it was one of the best ever cakes. and NOTHING like a pound cake!

This ^^^^^^^^

Me "thinks" the Devils Food Cake and the Red Velvet are first cousins..Old recipes for the two cakes are almost identical...Both enjoyed popularity in about the same time frame....The Devils Food was probably the for-runner of the Red Velvet...Ya think??

 

[Linda123]

Thanks for all the info....and that 7-minute frosting is by far my favorite...yum!