As the head of Pittsburgh’s legendary Kaufmann’s department store, Edgar J. Kaufmann was a man who knew what he liked, and usually found a way to get it! He and his wife, Liliane, and their son, Edgar Kaufmann Jr., brought Fallingwater to life with weekends and vacations spent enjoying the clean air and water of the Laurel Highlands…and the quiet splendor of their amazing house.
Edgar Sr.’s New Red Devil’s Food Cake Recipe
Chef Tom Shuttlesworth told us that Edgar Sr. had a soft spot for devil’s food cake. He updates that delectable classic here, with an intriguing herbal note of lemon verbena, and a Fallingwater-appropriate red batter. To see what Chef Tom designed for the dinner that precedes this delectable dessert, visit here.
Chef Tom loves this light cake with the same rich chocolate undertones as Edgar Sr.’s favorite midnight devil’s food snack. The gorgeous red color, the intriguing herbaceous hint of citrus throughout, the luscious cream-cheese icing with plenty of real vanilla. This is a great end to any meal.
The instructions are easy enough; if you want a little more elaborate presentation, you can always split the individual cakes into separate layers, but the recipe is perfect for three layers.
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Edgar’s New Red Devil’s Food Cake
Description
A light and fluffy ode to Fallingwater.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 2 oz red food coloring
- 3 sticks butter: 2 for cake, 1 (softened) for icing
- 2 1/12 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp dry ground lemon verbena
For the vanilla cream cheese icing:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
- 1 lb confectioner’s sugar
- ·3 tbsp vanilla paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat eggs; add sugar. Mix cocoa and food coloring. Add 2 sticks butter and egg mixture; mix well.
- Sift together flour and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla.
- In a small bowl, combine soda and vinegar and add to mixture.
- Pour into three 8-inch round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
For the vanilla cream cheese icing:
- Whip all together in a stand mixer or with hand mixer until light and creamy.
Story and Recipe by Chef Tom Shuttlesworth
Photography by Andrew Burkle
Food Styling by Clare Vredevoogd
Production by Burklehagen
Shot on Location at Fallingwater thanks to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
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