Victorian Americans had Devil's Food Cake and Angel Food Cake?

Victorian Americans had Devil’s Food Cake and Angel Food Cake?

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Which came first in Victorian kitchens?

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Devil’s Food and Angel’s Food

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BOTH types of cake–Devil’s Food and Angel (Angel’s) Food Cakes appeared in the 19th Century… but one was definitely earlier than the other.

What is your guess?

Better yet, do you know why one came before the other?

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One answer: CONTRAST

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Yes, the contrast in names–a play on words–between Angel Food Cake and Devil’s Food Cake. But also the stark contrast, visually, between the dark chocolate cake and the otherworldly white of Angel’s Food. Victorian hostesses would often display her guests’ options side-by-side, and took pleasure in the visual appearances of their fare.

Another turn-of-the-century contrasting cake combined the two into one. Nineteenth-century marble cake combined spice (dark) with yellow (pale) cake batters in the familiar marbled style. Enjoy an article all about Victorian-era marble cakes.

Victorian-era cooks also enjoyed making contrasting Gold and Silver Cakes.

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First: 1878

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Which came first? Angel’s or Devil’s?

The FIRST place must to go Angel Food. All those egg whites were around long before the application of chocolate directly into cake batter.

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Second: 1902

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Or, if you’re not picky about “Devil’s Food” extra-dark richness, a few cakes with chocolate in the batter appeared in the early 1880s. The real-deal Devil’s Food made the cookbook scene after turn of the 20th century. See much more here.

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This post begins a Series of Blog Posts about Victorian Cake.
Devil’s Food Cake.
Angel Food Cake.
19th Century Baking Methods.
Victorian Cake-Baking Inventions.

And more than one surprise.

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See the many similar articles
with many similar cover images,
below ~

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Many more articles about Victorian-era American baking: cakes, kitchen inventions, and methods.

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