Recipe: L.A. Schools Devil's Food Cake with 7-minute Frosting (1930's)

L.A. SCHOOLS DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH 7-MINUTE FROSTING
Introduced in 1939 to the Los Angeles Unified School District by Frances Johnson, Food Service Director.

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup hot coffee (or water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Seven Minute Frosting (recipe follows)
Melted chocolate (optional, for garnish)

Cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Combine cocoa powder and coffee and add to creamed mixture. Sift salt, soda and flour together and add alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla. Turn batter into greased 13x9-inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Cool.

Frost with Seven Minute Frosting or other favorite frosting. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

SEVEN-MINUTE FROSTING
Makes enough frosting for 1 (13x9-inch) pan, 2 (9-inch) layers or 24 to 30 cupcakes.

1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine water, egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar in top of double boiler. Mix well to moisten sugar throughout. Place over boiling water and beat constantly with rotary or electric mixer until frosting holds soft peaks and leaves mark when raised. Process will take about 7 minutes with rotary beater or 3 to 4 minutes with electric beater.

Remove from heat and beat 5 to 7 minutes longer or until frosting holds swirls when beater is lifted. Beat in vanilla and spread at once on cake.

Makes 12 servings.
Source: Los Angeles Times newspaper, November 9, 1989