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Two squares of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting on white plates, sitting on a red and white checkered cloth. A glass of milk is blurred in the background.
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Wacky Cake

This Wacky Cake has no eggs, no milk, and no butter in it, and I still can't get over how good it is. It's an old Depression-era recipe that survived this long for a reason, it's easy, it's cheap, and it tastes like it shouldn't be either. Frost it with a little chocolate buttercream or just dust it with powdered sugar, you really can't go wrong.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Wacky Cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 9
Author Heidi Bruaw

Equipment

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1½ Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ⅓ Cup Cocoa Powder unsweetened
  • ⅓ Cup Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup Water

Frosting

  • 1 Cup Butter softened
  • 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • ½ Cup Cocoa Powder
  • 3-4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  • Grease an 8"x8" pan and set aside.
  • Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a large bowl until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, vanilla extract, and vinegar.
  • Add the oil to the dry ingredients, then add the water mixture.
  • Stir until well combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Frosting

  • Whip together the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer.
  • Add the cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla.
  • Once the cake is cooled, frost it.

Notes

Helpful Tips
  • Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until combined, or your cake can end up dense instead of moist.
  • Let the cake cool completely before frosting. If you frost it warm, the buttercream will melt right off.
  • Double-check your baking soda isn't expired. Since it's doing all the heavy lifting for the rise here, old baking soda can leave you with a flat cake.
  • Use a light-colored baking dish if you have one. Dark pans can make the bottom and edges bake faster, so keep an eye on it near the 30-minute mark if that's what you're using.
  • Measure your flour correctly. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping straight from the bag, or you can end up with too much flour and a dry cake.
  • Whisk your dry ingredients really well. Cocoa powder likes to clump, so make sure it's fully combined with the flour before you add your wet ingredients.