Wacky Cake
Chocolate cake with a simple vanilla frosting – this “wacky cake” recipe, which uses no butter, eggs or milk, was popular during WWII when rationing was prevalent.
Last month, I made Chocolate Dump-It Cake, which is a one-pot cake recipe dating back to the 1930’s or 1940’s, and it has quickly become one of the most popular recipes I’ve shared recently. A reader left a comment on that post about “wacky cake”, and another reader, Nancy, emailed me her family’s recipe for this one-pan, light-as-air chocolate cake.
The premise of the cake – the reason it’s “wacky” – is that there is no butter, no eggs and no milk in the cake. Everything is mixed together right in the pan, using only a fork. After doing some reading, I found that this was a popular recipe during World War II because of the rationing of those ingredients. Those ladies knew what they were doing, because this is a phenomenal cake! My family couldn’t believe the cake lacked all of those typical cake ingredients, and happily devoured it, commenting over and over about how delicious it was.
This cake really could not be any easier to throw together – grab your favorite 8-inch square baking dish, put all of the dry ingredients in there and mix together with a fork.
Then, make three wells and add the vinegar, vanilla extract and oil into each… Pour water over the entire mixture and stir with a fork until well combined.
Voila! Ready for the oven!
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Nancy’s recipe said to top the cooled cake with your favorite vanilla frosting, so I did just that. It’s my standard vanilla that I use for any vanilla-topped cupcakes (like the homemade funfetti cupcakes); I was running low on vanilla extract, so I used vanilla bean paste in its place, and oh my! The flavor and all of those little bean specks – loved it!
The reviews were unanimous among my family – everyone loved the cake. It turned out wonderfully light, moist and full of chocolate flavor; the vanilla frosting was a great contrast and a big hit.
This recipe deserves to be in everyone’s recipe box – it’s so easy, super quick, and makes a wonderfully delicious chocolate cake suitable for any dessert occasion!
Watch How to Make Wacky Cake:
One year ago: Dark Chocolate Chip & Walnut Banana Bread
Five years ago: Peach Cobbler
Seven years ago: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Wacky Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 4 tbsp (4) (rounded) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
For the Vanilla Frosting:
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In an ungreased glass or ceramic 8-inch square pan (do not use metal), add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and stir to combine with a fork.
- Make three wells in the mixture and to those wells add the vinegar, vanilla extract and vegetable oil. Pour the water over the entire mixture and mix with a fork until thoroughly combined and no dry ingredients remain.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Vanilla Frosting: Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Using a spatula, spread the vanilla frosting evenly over the top of the cake. The cake can be stored, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
The only thing I did different was to use almond flour. The cake bubbled over and went all over the floor of the oven. Where did I go wrong?
dude. you cannot substitute wheat flour with almond flour. almonds do not form glutinous chains. just go find an almond flour recipe.
Please tell me this comment is a joke. I refuse to believe that this is a serious question.
I made this tonight. Didn’t have enough butter so I added some cream cheese to substitute. A little extra vanilla. It was delicious!! It did make quite a bit of icing but no one was complaining!
Amazing!! highly recommend!
Just like my Mother’s recipe! Sweet memories! ❤️
Looking at the recipe, it seems a lot of frosting for a 8″ square pan cake. I think I’ll cut the icing recipe in half.
Fame IPTV
I loved this cake and made it recently. I used to make it when I was around 18 – 19!yrs old . I loved it !
We had my brother in-law and his fiance’ for dinner tonight. I made this cake and it was a hit!! So super easy to make and the frosting is divine!!!!
What can be used instead of 6T of vegetable oil?
I’ve made this cake for fifty plus years, at altitudes from zero to a mile high with no adjustments…it’s kind of fail safe. It might sink in the middle but is always delicipus. I do add a sprinkling of chocolate chips on top to add more chocolate and contrasting texture – it also takes the place of frosting, if you get lazy. Which I am.
1Cupmof sugar for me it’s too much, can I replaced it with something else. Like 1/3 or 1/2 cup of Maple Syrup?
Many thanks
Can I double this recipe for a 9×13 size ?
Well I currently have a doubled batch in my oven right now and I’m pretty confident it’ll be fine.
Hi Joyce! I doubled the recipe when I made it, and it turned out perfect. It did not fall.
Super easy to bake and so tasty
I love this cake! My elementary age kids can help me make it and it comes out moist and so flavorful! I’ve made it twice this month. Highly recommend!
This is one of my favorite cakes
My wacky cake recipe is a little different than yours. 3 cups flour. 2 cups sugar 6 tbsp coco 2 tbsp vinegar 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups water 1 stick of melted butter. Bake in 13 x 9 cake pan on 350. About 30 mins. When you smell it start checking it.
Great recipe! I used vegan butter for the icing, making this a completely plant-based dessert. I made this for a get-together and everyone loved it.
I have not used this particular recipe where I went to school they used to make this cake and it was delicious and I never could get enough of it my cousin that worked at the school in the cafeteria her giving me the recipe and she has passed away and I did not remember it so I called it up but I have not baked it yet but I will thank you
I have a friend who has dairy, egg and gluten allergies. Can this cake be made with gluten free flour? Would it work?
I always make this cake for my friend who is lactose intolerant
We also grew up with the cake with thick chocolate frosting. We love it plain now. We only had metal pans so not sure why recipe says no metal.
I really love this cake, but I’ve baked it twice now and the middle has sunk both times. This second time, I baked it 5 minutes longer and the toothpick came out clean, and the middle was perfect. I checked back 20 minutes later, and it had sunk. It’s not that big a deal because I’m going to frost it with a Greek yogurt whipped cream frosting and I’ll just disguise the middle, but. I do open the oven halfway through to turn the cake so it cools evenly, but I do this with other recipes and they don’t sink, so IDK. Delicious anyway! I add 2 teaspoons of espresso powder which bumps up the chocolate flavoring.
I wonder what type of cocoa you use? dutch or regular? I use the dutch type and also have had this problem so read online that if you use a bit of cream of tarter, it might help.
I did try this and added about 1/4 tsp and the cake came out much better… has something to do with correcting acidity.
Also I try to be more accurate when measuring out the oil and liquids as I tend to overdo.
oops! spell check…cream of tartar (not tarter)
I made this on 25 June 2022 exactly as written, and it is perfect as is, no frosting or whipped cream needed. This was very liked by the family and will be a regular now. Thank you Michelle, for this great recipe 😀
Mandy, vinegar is acidic and it binds with the proteins in the flour to set the cake, also reacts with the baking soda to produce the carbon dioxide, the lift or rise to the cake.
Can anyone explain to me what does the vinegar do?
This was light and fluffy but not falling apart and I recommend this frosting for anything else too it is beautiful! I honestly just think it could be chocolate-r if you know what I mean.
It is the best chocolate cake frim scratch there is period!
My grandfather taught me how to make it and told me how and why his mom made it. The times were very hard and sometimes traditional chocolate ingredients wasn’t available, so someone found a way around that and invented the wacky cake. It doesn’t really need frosting!
Do you have a frosting suggestion that also has no dairy or egg?
BEST CAKE EVER!!!!! My mom made this when we were kids. I have made it several times since. And it’s just as good without frosting. Thanks for the memories.
My mother called this “mix-in-a-pan cake” and my sister and I still make it today.