I keep meaning to make Devils Food Cake, but since I don’t bake a lot of cakes I haven’t gotten around to it…yet. One day it will happen!

In this particular recipe there is the notation for “scant” amounts. This means just slightly less than the full measure. And since it isn’t quantified, you really can’t guess exactly how much the recipe really wants. For instance, the 1/2 cup butter scant could mean to cut the butter off the width of a knife, or just below the line, or as my grandmother did, use the measuring cup with a dent in it. Next, the recipe ingredients list sour milk, but the method mentions butter milk. Make sour milk by adding lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk. I think it was just an error that she wrote butter milk.

Devils Food Cake

3 T cocoa

3 T water

1 1/4 c sugar

1/2 c butter (scant)

1 cup sour milk

1 t soda

yolk of 1 egg

2 scant c flour

1 egg white beaten stiff

Heat & melt cocoa, water & sugar. When dissolved add butter.

Set aside to cool. Mix butter milk soda & beaten yolk, add the melted choc. mixture. Then the flour and egg white beaten stiff.

Bake in moderate oven (350) in layer tins.