The Key Difference Between Devil's Food Cake And Chocolate Cake

When you're sinking your teeth into a rich, chocolatey slice of cake, you're probably not so concerned with what type of cake it technically is. Classic chocolate? Devil's food cake? Who cares — they're both delicious. While the only thing on your mind in the moment is the decadent bite at the end of the fork, these two cake varieties may spark some questions when looking for a recipe to make at home or shopping at the grocery store bakery. Although they share many similarities, there are a few differences between a devil's food cake and a traditional chocolate cake.

The name devil's food cake suggests a darker, more sinister version of chocolate cake. There's nothing evil about it — the name simply comes from a time in the late 1800s and early 1900s when it was trendy to give now-retro desserts dramatic names (wacky cake, sock it to me cake, shoofly pie, etc.). One could argue that it is, however, darker than chocolate cake, as devil's food cake recipes often call for the addition of coffee. This ingredient brings an intensity and richness, and enhances the cocoa notes.

Another ingredient not often found in a classic chocolate cake: sour cream. Not every devil's food cake recipe calls for it, but it is common in retro recipes. Sour cream, or Greek yogurt if you have that on hand, helps make an incredibly moist and rich cake. Additionally, its acidity helps activate the baking soda, resulting in a light and fluffy cake.

Both devil's food and chocolate cake contain baking soda to help with the rise. Interestingly, the devil's food cake recipes often contain more of it; a recipe could call for an entire tablespoon of baking soda, while the average chocolate cake recipe requires about a teaspoon. As explained above, devil's food cake is often fluffier and richer because of the activated and larger quantity of baking soda.

This addition also enhances the darkness of the cake — baking soda is also used in baked goods, especially breads, to add browning. The beautiful, deep, dark color of devil's food cake can be enhanced further by using dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.

So, if you're shopping for the best chocolate cake at the grocery store and see something labeled "devil's food cake," know that this is going to be a more intense, amped-up version of the average chocolate cake. That doesn't mean that chocolate cake has to have a weaker flavor or texture — there are plenty of hacks that can make this classic cake super rich and chocolatey without changing its name.