Easy Devil’s Food Cake Recipe


This is the Devil’s Food Cake that I grew up with. My mom would bake it as a loaf cake, a layer cake, a bundt-type cake, and cupcakes! It was probably the first thing that I ever baked by myself (and I’m sure I made a total mess of the kitchen when I did…sorry, Mom!).

Please read the entire recipe before beginning. The baking “utensils” are what you will need to prepare the batter and bake the cake. The ingredients are listed in “groups” and then the baking instructions will be given for each group.

Utensils
Large mixing bowl
Medium-sized bowl
Sifter
Mixing spoon
Measuring cups (dry and liquid) and spoons (dry and liquid)
Electric mixer (hand-held or table; this is optional, I hand-stir the batter)
Baking pan (13x9 loaf pan, 2 round layer pans, straight-sided bundt pan (as for Angel Food cake), or cupcake papers/pans)

Ingredients

Group 1:
3/4 cup SHORTENING (do not use butter, margarine, or lard)
2 cups SUGAR

Group 2:
2 EGGS (large, do not use extra large or jumbo)

Group 3:
3 cups FLOUR (regular or unbleached)
3/4 cup COCOA (baking cocoa in powder form, not bricks)
2 teaspoons BAKING SODA
1/2 teaspoon SALT

Group 4:
2 cups WHOLE MILK (do not use skim or 1%, 2% is OK)
2 teaspoons VANILLA (extract, not flavoring)

Group 5:
Pan spray (or shortening to coat baking pan)

Preparation and Baking
Group 1: Cream shortening and sugar in large mixing bowl.
Group 2: Add eggs to creamed mixture.
Group 3: Sift together all ingredients into medium-sized bowl.
Group 4: Combine milk and vanilla.

Add Groups 3 and 4 alternately to creamed mixture. Continue to mix until all ingredients have been used and batter is well blended

Group 5: Spray (or coat) bottom and sides of pan (unless making cupcakes, in which case insert cupcake papers into cupcake pans).

Heat oven to 350*. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is done. Use a cake tester or a toothpick to test, should come out clean

It is very easy to overbake a cake---and this is the most common cause of a cake being dry. When you put the cake in the oven, set a timer for 12 minutes. When it goes off, turn the cake pan, and set timer for 12 minutes. When it goes off, check the cake for doneness. If the cake is beginning to look done around the edges, then set the timer for 5 minutes. Turn the pan and check again for doneness. As the cake nears being completely baked in the center, set the timer for 2 or 3 minutes, and be sure to remove the cake from the over the minute that cake tester/toothpick come out clean!

Cool. Frost with your favorite frosting (all flavors are great on this cake!). Serve alone, with milk, or with ice cream!

ENJOY!!!

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information about Jan’s services; http://work-at-home.janktheproofer.com for work at home articles and free printables; and for work at home moms, visit Jan’s sister site http://work-at-home.momsbreak.com for articles, free printables, and work at home T-shirts and other fun products.
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