Wacky cake

Wanton burning of structures is usually called arson, but this becomes art because it's a "mental health project"? I don't understand the thinking behind this at all. Seems to me like someone trying to glorify something valuless by saying it has social value, thereby silencing all criticism by snatching the moral high ground. And burning rubbish on it. In fact, the more I think about this, the more it's doing my head in. I think I need to go and burn something now. To re-establish my mental health.

Chocolate wacky cake

Was faffing around on Pinterest the other day and came upon a recipe for "Wacky cake". (The link-maker doesnt' seem to be working - it's on a site called Sweet little bluebird, I'll try another time to get the link for you). Anyway, a little while ago a friend gave me a recipe for her wacky cake. Hers has butter; this one has cooking oil. As I didn't have butter, I tried the cooking oil variety and here it is. Sweet little bluebird also has recipes for a vanilla cake and a spice cake. I might try the vanilla one with lemon rind and make lemon cake.

Apparently, these cakes originated in the Depression (but were probably around well before that) as a solution to the problem of having no milk, butter or eggs. Basically, you mix up the dry ingredients, then make three hollows in the mix, and add vinegar, vanilla and vegetable oil, then add tepid water and mix together. You can do this right in the baking tin if you want. These cakes are also called Crazy cakes, Dump cakes or Depression cakes. I remember Mum telling me that you could use vinegar and bicarb of soda mixed together to substitute for egg, but I don't know what the proportions were. She also had a cake called "Yoofey cake" which you mixed up in the baking tin, but her cake had milk and eggs. I would guess it was a version of these crazy cakes, though, adapted for more prosperous times. Anyway, it makes a very nice cake, suitable to have with a cup of coffee for breakfast. (Yes, no healthy stuff like muesli in this household!)

Wacky cake

1 1/2 cup flour

3 Tbsp cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

 

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup tepid water

 

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl (or baking tin). Mix together.

 

Make three dents in the dry mix, one dent a bit deeper.

Put vanilla in one dent, vinegar in another and oil in the deeper one

Pour tepid water over all, and mix thoroughly.

 

Bake at 190C or 350F for 35-40 mins.

Ice when cool or sift powdered sugar over top.

 

 

http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2013/03/tried-true-tuesday-crazy-cake-no-eggs.html

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