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Classic Wacky Chocolate Cake

  • Author: Grandma's Kitchen

Description

A depression-era chocolate cake that’s moist, rich, and requires no eggs or milk! This quirky recipe mixes right in the baking pan for easy cleanup.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust:

  • For the cake:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • For the frosting (optional):
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons milk (or water for vegan)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare the Crust:

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan.
  2. 2. In the ungreased pan, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. 3. Make three wells in the dry ingredients. Pour vinegar into the first, vanilla into the second, and oil into the third.
  4. 4. Pour water over everything and stir vigorously with a fork until completely combined and smooth.
  5. 5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
  6. 6. For frosting: Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa. Mix in milk and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.

Notes

This cake stays moist for days when stored covered at room temperature. For vegan version, use water instead of milk in frosting. The batter will look thin – this is normal!