Cocoa gives Devil’s Food Cake its bold chocolate flavor, while red dye gives the cake its famous color. Some variations of the cake are not red at all, but maintain a deep chocolate hue. Many recipes call for vinegar and buttermilk. When these two ingredients react, they expose the red anthocyanin in cocoa.
The term Devil’s Food Cake relates to the treat’s bold chocolate flavor. In the past, rich foods were considered highly tempting and immoral, like the devil himself.Very spicy foods were also labeled as “deviled” because of their hell-like flavors. Other “deviled” foods include eggs, ham, and shrimp.
Find out more about the "evil" cake by visiting Lisa Stradley and What's Cooking America!
