Victorian Baking: Devil’s Food Cake

Victorian Baking: Devil’s Food Cake

Today, January 27th, is National Chocolate Cake Day!

No better time to reflect upon, and relish the “invention” of one of the BEST chocolate cakes of all time–Devil’s Food Cake.

Devil’s Food Cake (often simply “Devil’s Food”) debuted along with other chocolate cakes as the culmination of chocolate dessert creations, at the tail-end of the Victorian Era, and gained momentum into the brief Edwardian period. American bakers discovered the capacities of baking chocolate, creating the sinfully rich and decadent cake, frosted with anything from a basic white, boiled frosting to ultra-sweet fudge frosting. Of all the “Victorian Inventions”, Devil’s Food Cake might be a twenty-first century favorite!

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

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

Which came FIRST in Victorian home kitchens? Angel’s Food Cake or Devil’s Food Cake? BOTH appeared in the 1800’s…but one was definitely first. Which is your guess?

This post begins a new blog series, all about Victorian home bakers, CAKE, Angel (Angel’s) Food Cake, Chocolate Cake (and Devil’s Food Cake), Cake Moulds and Tins, Time-saving Inventions for cooks / bakers, and more than one surprise!

BOOK REVIEW: The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris

BOOK REVIEW: The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris

My expectations, upon first discovering this new release by Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris, were significantly surpassed as I listened to the Audible edition. As a nurse and a student of history, I crave accuracy in historical fiction, and this title has informed and empowered me to do a better job when including medical practitioners in my nineteenth century fiction. Significant elements of this book have stayed with me for weeks after listening to this book (just released on Halloween [2017]!). Can’t recommend it enough to the curious, to amateur (and professional) historians, and to readers and authors of Historical Fiction. 5 stars!

BOOK REVIEW: Wicked Women by Chris Enss

BOOK REVIEW: Wicked Women by Chris Enss

Book Review of Chris Enss’s title: Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West. This nonfiction, informative, entertaining book presents women of the Old West–their impact and influence on mining towns, settling the west, and men from prospectors to politicians.