Crazy for Crazy Cake

This recipe is tried and true — an oldie, but a goodie. It’s called Crazy Cake — I’ve also heard it’s been called Wacky Cake or Depression Cake. It’s called crazy or wacky because it requires no eggs, milk or butter and is still a moist amazing cake. They used to make this during The Great Depression because it was a cheap, no-frills dessert recipe that is fail proof and great comfort food without the expensive dairy ingredients.

Many of you have probably heard of, or tried this cake before, so you already know this cake tastes great and you would never know it didn’t have eggs, milk or butter in it unless someone told you.

I chose to make the chocolate version of this cake, but there are many different varieties of it.

I decided to make a traditional chocolate buttercream frosting for this cake, so in that regard, it’s not 100 per cent dairy free — but if you wanted, you could use a dairy free recipe for frosting.

Next time I make this cake, I think I’ll add a few chocolate chips to the batter — but it was excellent on its own —very moist, and perfect for an easy cake to throw together.

This recipe is for an eight by eight pan, but you’d like to use nine by 13, just double the ingredients.

Try it — let me know what you think. Am I ‘Crazy’? Crazy for Crazy Cake!

Chocolate Crazy Cake

Recipe from Sweet Little Blue Bird

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp cocoa (unsweetened)

1 Cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

5 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Cup water

For Frosting: (Recipe from Savory Sweet Life)

1 cup butter, softened (but not melted!)

3½ cups icing sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8″ square baking pan and set aside.

Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth. Pour batter into pan.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting.

For Frosting

Cream the butter for a few minutes in a mixer on medium speed. In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa. Scoop the mixture into the butter ½ cup at a time and mix on medium speed until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed and add vanilla extract (or almond if you prefer), salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Spread generously over cake and enjoy!

Justine Gelevan’s not a professional baker or critic; she’s a Halifax girl who loves all kinds of goodies – eating them, sharing them, making them and talking about them. She keeps her kitchen stocked with the tastiest ingredients with the help of Atlantic Superstore and President’s Choice. Visit her blog for more recipes and how-tos at thegoodiegirl.ca.