Nanny's Wacky Chocolate Cake
When it comes to birthdays in my house, my Nanny’s Wacky Chocolate Cake is a must have. The cake has been a birthday tradition for decades and dates back to Great Depression. The cake is considered “wacky,” because it doesn’t have egg, milk or butter in it. Instead, ingredients that were more common during the Great Depression, like vegetable oil and water, are used as the wet ingredients. Despite the unusualness of the cake’s ingredients, my Nanny’s Wacky Cake is SO good and perfect for chocolate lovers who want a quick dessert to make.
the details of nanny's wacky cake
Like I stated above, my Nanny’s Wacky Cake is unique because it doesn’t use milk, butter, or eggs. Instead, vegetable oil, vinegar, and water take the show and are still enough to make a delicious cake. The lack of heavy ingredients also makes for a less dense cake, that is still moist and delicious!
One thing I love about the Wacky Cake is that it is made in one pan. There’s no need for multiple bowls or a mixer, which makes the prep process quick and the dishes even quicker!
A final, and very important component of my Nanny’s Wacky Cake is the icing. While the recipe doesn’t call for a specific icing or any icing at all, my Nanny always used Betty Crocker’s Chocolate Frosting. Therefore, that is the frosting that we use and it may not be fresh, but it’s still pretty dang good!
Substitutes are not a thing when it comes to my Nanny’s Wacky Cake. The ingredient list is already so wacky, the last thing it needs is to be changed up! While I say this, there is one thing that can be substituted and that is the frosting. While we love chocolate on chocolate, you can used vanilla or strawberry frosting on the wacky cake. You can even make your own, but make sure its thick and creamy.
One final note is that the cake is always best with ice cream. My favorite flavors to have with my Nanny’s Wacky Chocolate Cake are Black Raspberry and White Mint Chip, but plenty of other ice cream flavors will pair well.
Overall, if you make this recipe, please leave a comment below, tag me on Instagram, pin it, or go like my page/share on Facebook! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter, 4 Secret Recipes of the Month, for other, never before seen, recipes!
Nanny's Wacky Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 1 c sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 c vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 c cold water
- 1 can Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Set sifter in a 9x9 cake pan. Add flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Sift together into cake pan.
- Make three holes. Put the oil in one, the vinegar in another, and the vanilla in the third.
- Pour water over the batter. Stir with fork until well mixed.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes! Once cooled, top with chocolate frosting. We always use Betty Crocker
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