Looking for delicious cake recipes for summer gatherings? National Devil’s Food Cake Day on May 19 celebrates this uniquely American treat, which dates back to the 1800s. According to Southern Living magazine, devil’s food cake differs from other chocolate cakes in that the recipe uses cocoa powder, rather than unsweetened chocolate, and it has more baking soda than a typical chocolate cake.

Here are two recipes with a healthier spin on chocolate cake.

Eating Well’s Died-and-Went-to-Heaven Chocolate Cake

An oldie but goodie, this simple and delicious cake echoes traditional devil’s food cake recipes.

INGREDIENTS

For cake:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose white flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot strong black coffee

For icing:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons buttermilk, or low-fat milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 12-cup Bundt pan or coat it with nonstick cooking spray. Dust the pan with flour, invert and shake out the excess.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Whisk in hot coffee until completely incorporated. (The batter will be quite thin.)

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan and let cool completely.

4. To make icing: In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough of the buttermilk or milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Set the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the icing over the top.

Makes 16 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 240; Fat: 5g; Carbs: 48g; Protein: 4g

Recipe Card for Eating Well’s Died-and-Went-to-Heaven Chocolate Cake

Source: EatingWell

Chocolate Squash Cake

Though it isn’t devil’s food, this yummy cake will satisfy a chocolate craving. Incorporating squash into the cake adds flavor plus fiber, vitamin K, phosphorus and folate.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup vegetable oil (or cooking oil of choice)
• 1 package cake mix, dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 cup squash, shredded or finely chopped
• chopped walnuts (¼ cup, optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash hands with soap and water.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.

3. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and cinnamon.

4. Add eggs, water, and oil. Blend until combined, then beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes on medium speed.

5. Fold in squash. Add nuts if you like.

6. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until cake springs back when lightly touched.

You can also make this recipe in a greased 9-by-12 pan. To make it even healthier, try using 6 egg whites in place of the 3 whole eggs, or ½ cup of applesauce in place of the oil.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 285; Fat: 17g; Carbs: 32g; Protein: 4g

Recipe Card for Chocolate Squash Cake

Source: MyPlate.gov, adapted from Aunt Barbara’s Chocolate Squash Cake, Farm Fresh Summertime Recipes

Nutritious Substitutions

You can also experiment with making your own favorite cake recipes healthier using this handy Recipe Ingredient Substitutions list from AultCare.