Martha Washington’s Devil’s Food Cake - Recipes from the White House

4 squares (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate in a saucepan over a very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Add ½ cup of the sugar and ½ cup of the buttermilk. Stir until well blended. Cool thoroughly. Mix half the flour with the baking powder, soda and salt. Cream butter and gradually beat in the remaining 1 ½ cups sugar.

Continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Blend in ¼ of the flour mixture, then add the chocolate and vanilla. Alternately add the remaining flour and buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.

Pour into two 9 inch greased and floured pans and bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes.