WACKY CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Grease and flour (or line with wax paper) a loaf pan, square or round baking pan or a small tube pan.
2.  Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
3.  Combine liquid ingredients in measuring cup and add to dry ingredients. Stir well.
4.  Pour into prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
5.  Cool 15 minutes then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling (cake can also be served straight from pan).
6.  When finished cooling, frost with desired frosting and serve.

This is the cake that was always requested for birthdays in the Harrington household.

ALTERNATE VERSION using UNSWEETENED BAKING CHOCOLATE instead of cocoa powder - please note the use of less vegetable oil because of the fat included in the baking chocolate:


1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate broken/chopped into small pieces
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350º.  Grease and flour a loaf pan, square or round pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Stir until well blended.
In a separate bowl, combing the chocolate, boiling water and vegetable oil.  Stir until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.  Add the vinegar and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and stir well.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 15 minutes then remove cake to cooling rack to finish cooling - cake can also be frosted and served right from the pan if desired.
When cake is completely cool, frost with desired frosting and serve.

GLUTEN/SUGAR FREE VERSION

1 1/2 cups baking blend (1/2 c almond flour + 1/2 c coconut flour + 1/2 cup milled flax seed)
1/4 cup baking cocoa
12 Market Basket Stevia packets (= 1/2 cup sugar)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Combine dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients in measuring cup. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Bake as directed in original recipe.

Microwave version:

For one serving - combine 1/4 c + 1 1/2 T dry mix with 2 T water, 2 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp vinegar, and 1/8 tsp vanilla. Cook in mug on high for 2 mins.