The Devil’s Food. A long time family favorite. Easy to make and even easier on the taste buds. For years, I thought that the name Devil’s food related to the tempting chocolate and the sinful ,rich flavors of the cake. I, however, was mistaken. This little tid bit of knowledge was something that I though I’d pass on to my fellow bakers and aspiring pastry chefs.
As it turns out, Devils food , in fact, is not related to the devil! I would have sworn that those extra calories that seem to stick in unwanted places had to be the work of the horned red man, but turns out, I was mistaken.
According to the ” What’s Cooking America”  website, the name devils food has the following origin:
Definition of deviled – A term describing food that is dark, rich, chocolate, spicily piquant or stimulating it is “deviled.” The term “deviled” for spicy foods dates back to the 18th century. Deviled dishes were popular throughout the 19th and into the 20th centuries, especially for seafood dishes. According to the Oxford Companion to Food: Devil–a culinary term which . . . first appeared as a noun in the 18th century, and then in the early 19th century as a verb meaning to cook something with fiery hot spices or condiments. . . . The term was presumably adopted because of the connection between the devil and the excessive heat in Hell. . . . Boswell, Dr Johnson’s biographer, frequently refers to partaking of a dish of “devilled bones” for supper, which suggests an earlier use. . . Deviled dishes were very popular throughout the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries, especially for seafood preparations and some appetizers.

Who knew? Pass this little gem along and impress your friends.