Description
This wacky cake whips up faster than your mixer can spin, delivering pure chocolatey comfort without eggs or dairy that will have your whole family grinning from ear to ear.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Frosting Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing slight overhang for easy removal.
- Grab a large mixing bowl and sift together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Whisk thoroughly to eliminate any lumps.
- Create three wells in the dry ingredients. Pour 1 teaspoon vanilla into one well, 1 teaspoon white vinegar into another, and ⅓ cup vegetable oil into the third.
- Pour 1 cup water over the entire mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the batter becomes smooth and no dry streaks remain.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, ensuring an even distribution. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick – a few moist crumbs are perfect.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour.
- For frosting, cream 3 tablespoons softened butter with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute until fluffy.
- Add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, blending on low speed to prevent sugar clouds.
- Introduce 3 tablespoons milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting evenly across the cooled cake using an offset spatula. Slice and serve directly from the pan.
Notes
- This cake works perfectly for people with egg or dairy allergies since the recipe contains no eggs or milk.
- The vinegar helps activate the baking soda, creating a tender and light cake texture without traditional leavening agents.
- Carefully watch the cake while baking, as ovens vary and you want to catch it right when a toothpick shows just a few moist crumbs.
- For a gluten-free version, swap the regular flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend to make the recipe safe for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 to 10
- Calories: 214 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 158 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 9 mg