Wacky Cake
What if I told you that one of the most tender, deeply chocolatey cakes you will ever bake requires no eggs, no butter, no milk, and not even a mixing bowl? That is exactly what a Wacky Cake delivers.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 180 g all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups
- 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder rounded
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 90 ml vegetable oil 6 tbsp
- 240 ml water 1 cup
For the Vanilla Frosting
- 226 g unsalted butter at room temperature, 1 cup
- 300 g powdered sugar 2 1/2 cups
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Making the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat your oven to 177 degrees C (350 degrees F). Let it fully heat before baking.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the ungreased baking dish. Stir with a fork until evenly combined.
- Make three separate wells in the dry mixture. Pour the vinegar into the first well, the vanilla into the second well, and the vegetable oil into the third well.
- Pour the water over the entire surface. Use a fork to mix everything until no dry patches remain. The batter will be thin, which is normal.
- Bake for 26 to 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center to check for doneness. It should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
- Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
Making the Vanilla Frosting
- Beat the room temperature butter with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once or twice. The butter should look very light and fluffy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Adding it slowly prevents a sugar cloud.
- Add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 minutes until the frosting is light and cloud-like.
- Spread the frosting generously over the cooled wacky cake.
Notes
Use an ungreased 20x20cm (8x8-inch) glass or ceramic dish for best texture. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can replace the all-purpose flour if needed. Apple cider vinegar works as a substitute for white vinegar, and sunflower oil or canola oil can replace vegetable oil. The butter must be at room temperature before you start whipping the frosting.