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DEPRESSION-ERA CHOCOLATE CAKE (ie: Crazy Cake) 8"x8" pan size

This cake recipe comes from the depression era when households were rationed on such things as eggs, milk & butter. So this recipe doesn't include those ingredients, yet it's delicious, moist and surprisingly chocolaty. Bakes up in an 8x8 size pan. #TexasHomesteader

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, chocolate, coffee, dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 people
Author www.TexasHomesteader.com

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 Cup Water
  • 1/4 Cup Cold Coffee
  • 5 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  • 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  2. In an 8"x8" square baking dish, measure the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa. Blend lightly with a fork.

  3. With the back of the measuring spoon make two small indentions in the dry ingredients. With the back of a measuring cup make one additional yet larger indention. In one of the small indentations pour 1 teaspoon vinegar, in the other small indentation pour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In the larger indentation add 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil. (I don't know why the wet ingredients are separated this way, but this is what the recipe called for so I always do it)

  4. Pour coffee / water mixture over all and mix with a fork just until thoroughly blended. Place baking pan on the middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Mine always takes 40 minutes)

  5. Bring cake out of oven and cool. Top with your favorite frosting, or just slice and enjoy the cake plain - great for the kid's lunchboxes.

Recipe Notes

Note: Optional no-cook chocolate frosting for an 8x8 cake:

Ingredients

  •   3 Tablespoons softened butter
  •   1 Tablespoon strong coffee
  •    3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  •    1 Tablespoon honey
  •    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  •   1 cup confectioners' sugar

Blend to mix and frost a 8x8 cake.