The Devil's Food on Valentine's Day?

 Why should I eat something the devil would eat?

I'm not sure how this cake got it's name because I doubt hell has chocolate or delicious cakes on its cafeteria menu. But it may tempt you to eat more. 

My husband and I hate going out to dinner on Valentine's Day. Oh, don't get me wrong. We LOVE to go out to eat. We're connoisseurs of good local restaurants. (If you live in Minneapolis and are looking for delicious food, just ask us! Especially if you enjoy ethnic.)

But Valentine's Day is always crowded at the restaurants. They usually minimize the menus-serving just a few of their popular dishes, and the prices are often higher. I like to cook a special meal on the actual day and then pick another day to go out and celebrate.

I haven't decided on the main course yet, but I just discovered a recipe for Devil's Food Cake that I'd like to try. It came in my e-newsletter from Vegetarian Times (click here and then on "newsletters" to subscribe) I'm not completely vegetarian but I get wonderful recipes from them right to my inbox absolutely free. Dan and I shared a piece of Red Velvet Cake at California Pizza Kitchen and we both loved it, so we've been looking for a more natural recipe ever since.

From what I can tell through a quick search, Devil's Food Cake and Red Velvet Cake are pretty much the same thing except that Red Velvet is usually made with a lot of red food color. Since I don't want the food color in my cake and I'd like a more healthy version overall, I was delighted to find this recipe in my VegTimes newsletter. They've even found a way to get the red color naturally.

Try the Devil's Food for Valentine's Day and let me know what you think. And, if the cake results in a proposal you MUST let us know! Promise??

Devil’s Food Cake (from Vegetarian Times Newsletter)

Commercial Red Devil cakes are tinted with artificial food coloring, a health hazard unto itself. But it’s just as easy to create a naturally tinted dessert by reverting back to the recipe’s roots and adding grated beets and non-alkaline cocoa powder. Ice the cake with white frosting to further accentuate the burgundy hue. Decorate with shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or chocolate shavings.

By Beverly Lynn Bennett

Makes 2 8-inch round cakes
What You Need For The Cake:

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (not Dutch or alkali processed), plus additional for pans 
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for pans
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups fresh beets, peeled and finely grated
• Fluffy Frosting (see recipe below)

What You Do For The Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch round cake pans with olive oil. Dust pans with cocoa powder, tap out any excess, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk sugar into dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together water, olive oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk well to combine. Stir in grated beets.
3. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto a rack (removing pans) and allow to cool completely before frosting.

What You Need For The Fluffy Frosting:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (I'd use butter-I'm not a total vegetarian)
• 1/4 cup soymilk or rice milk (or milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

What You Do For The Fluffy Frosting:

1. Using an electric or hand-held mixer, beat together frosting ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Use immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Stir briefly before spreading 1/3 of the frosting on top of one of the cakes. Top with second cake, then frost top and sides with remaining frosting.