Kathy P’s Wacky Cake

Recipe Created By: Kathy Przywara

1 1/2 cup flour (see below for gluten-free options)

3 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vinegar

5 Tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup water

Wacky Cake is a classic recipe from the Depression era because of the rationing of butter and eggs. The original recipe I saw mixed it right in the pan. You mix the dry ingredients, make 3 holes and pour the wet ingredients in. You can not screw this up. I even accidentally left out the oil one time and they were still OK – a bit dense, but OK. I’ve made it in several versions and even gluten-free.

The vinegar cannot be omitted, unless another acid ingredient (see below for orange or lemon alternative flavors) is substituted, since the acid is crucial to making this rise.

Vanilla: Omit cocoa. Double amount of vanilla.

Spice: Omit cocoa. Add 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice.

Orange: Omit cocoa and vinegar. Substitute orange juice for the water

Lemon: Omit cocoa. Substitute lemon juice for vinegar. Some lemon extract can be added.

Gluten Free: Substitute 1 3/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix for wheat flour. Add 1 tsp xanthan gum. Works well with Kathy P’s All Purpose Rice Flour Mix.

Others have used the following rice free Sorghum Flour Mix for Wacky Cake:

1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato or cornstarch
1/4 cup tapioca starch

If you prefer using bean flours, you can also use:

3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup bean flour (garbanzo)
1/2 cup potato or cornstarch
1/4 cup tapioca starch

From Lynn in Denver at 5280ft … my wacky cake cupcakes were delicious but a bit flat and even sunken, so I dug out my cookbooks to read up on baking at high altitude, and based on that info made the following adjustments to the recipe:

1) reduced the baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon
2) reduced the sugar by a couple tablespoons
3) increased the baking temperature to 375 degrees
4) reduced the baking time a couple minutes (cupcakes I do about 18 min)

Gluten: Gluten is a protein found in specific grains (wheat, spelt, kamut, barley, rye). Other grains are naturally gluten-free but may have cross-contact with gluten-containing grains. Look for certified gluten-free products if you need to avoid gluten. Find out more about wheat and gluten substitutions.