Devil's Food Cake
Historical

H.H. Holmes' Devil's Food Cake

Associated With Dr. Henry Howard Holmes
Prep Time 25 min
Bake Time 30-35 min
Servings 12

Devil's Food Cake emerged in the 1890s as the dark, sinful counterpart to Angel Food Cake. This decadent chocolate layer cake would have been served at Chicago's finest establishments during the era when H.H. Holmes operated his infamous "Murder Castle" during the 1893 World's Fair.

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Instructions

  1. Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, and dust with cocoa powder. This ensures a clean release and no white flour residue on the dark cake.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined and no lumps remain.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and combined.
  4. Add Hot Coffee: Reduce mixer speed to low and carefully add the hot coffee. The batter will be very thin - this is correct. The coffee blooms the cocoa and creates an incredibly moist cake.
  5. Bake: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  6. Make the Frosting: Beat softened butter on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder gradually, beating on low to incorporate.
  7. Finish Frosting: Add heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
  8. Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting on top. Add second layer and frost the top and sides generously. Create decorative swirls with an offset spatula.
  9. Serve: Let the cake sit for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

The Story Behind the Recipe

Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as Dr. H.H. Holmes, is often cited as America's first documented serial killer. During the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Holmes operated a hotel he had built specifically to murder guests - a building later dubbed the "Murder Castle."

The three-story building featured soundproof rooms, gas lines to asphyxiate victims, a crematorium, and chutes to transport bodies to the basement. Holmes confessed to 27 murders, though the actual number may have been significantly higher.

Devil's Food Cake first appeared in American cookbooks in the 1890s, the same decade Holmes was active. The cake was named as a dark, "sinful" counterpart to the white Angel Food Cake that was already popular. The timing of this recipe's emergence alongside Holmes' crimes is a macabre coincidence that perfectly captures the era's fascination with the contrast between Victorian propriety and hidden darkness.

Holmes was executed by hanging on May 7, 1896. He requested that his coffin be encased in concrete and buried 10 feet deep, allegedly fearing that his body might be dug up and dissected - the very fate he had inflicted on so many of his victims.

Erik Larson's 2003 book "The Devil in the White City" brought Holmes' story to modern audiences, interweaving his crimes with the story of the 1893 World's Fair.

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