Single hen

[Lesley]

This recipe came from my relatives over the Pond many years ago - it makes excellent muffins, use the big paper cases - or make it all in one deep baking tin and cut into squares.

 

You need Cup measures.

 

Wacky Cake

Oven temp. 180C Gas Mk4

Greased and lined baking tin - about 10" x 8" - 2" deep.

 

3 cups plain flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsps. Bicarb.

half tsp. salt

6 tbsp. cocoa

2 tsp. vanilla essence

2 tbsp vinegar

10 tbsp. of good, unflavoured, oil

2 cups of water

 

Mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly and then add the oil, vinegar,vanilla and 2 cups of cold water, mix well.

 

Pour batter into prepared tin.

 

Bake for 25-30 mins.

Muffins take about 20 mins.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Guest

[Lesley]

I don't think anyone has tried to make this - a good job really as I've just made it and realised I missed off the 2 cups of water from this recipe!

 

Just in case anyone has printed it out for a later date.......

[chickencam]

oops I think they might have noticed the lack of wet ingredients, but you never know

[Lesley]

They would when they came to try mixing it! - I was looking at it and puzzling over it when the postman rang the doorbell. It survived a 20 min. chat at the door and the addition of water after I'd fished out the original recipe. I was so lazy that I was making it from what I'd put in here

[Lesley]

Just bumping this for myself - I've mislaid the recipe again

 

It makes really chocolatey muffins and I'm stockpiling muffins in the freezer.

[bluekarin]

I made this last night - ever so easy! I did a large square one and cut it into smaller squares and we had it warm with some vanilla icecream. YD also had a piece today (cut in half and spread with some strawberry jam)

 

Little question; why is it called Wacky cake? Is it because you just wack it all together and then wack it in the oven?

[Egluntyne]

Just taken mine out of the oven. It looks and smells divine.

[Lesley]

I'm so glad someone else has now made it - I love it!

 

I presume it's called Wacky Cake because it's an American recipe One of my rellies sent it by snail mail years ago and My Mum used to make it for us

 

I had a slice of something called Guinness Cake today (yes Clare.....I went back and had a whole slice to myself ) I would say that the cake was a very similar recipe to Wacky Cake but it had a cream cheese topping - hence the Guinness analogy. It was divine

[Sunshine]

This sounds really similar to a cake i often make. Mum got the recipe out of a paper ages ago and it was a National Trust one that they make and serve in their resturants.

 

This may sound silly but what does the vinegar add to it? I'm going to try and make this version(and decide which i like best!) but we don't have vinegar and i don't really want to buy a massive thing of it to use for 1 cake!

[emchook]

this might be a daft question .. but what type of vinegar ?

[Snowy]

I had a choice of normal brown vinegar or distilled maly vinegar so I used the distilled malt (i have a huge container of it and usually use it for cleaning ) Only realised it didn't use an egg when I was mixing it all together at the end. Very nice, if unusual flavour - I wonder if it's the vinegar and bicarb combo? Boys love it and have requested it in their packed lunches!

[Lesley]

I'm glad your boys liked it Snowy.

 

this might be a daft question .. but what type of vinegar ?

 

We only ever had malt vinegar at home, so it would have been that although I probably use distilled now.....same reason as Snowy, I have it for cleaning..

[Egluntyne]

I used plain old Sarson's.

 

The cake was lovely. Light and with a slightly fudgey texture.

 

Ever so nice with custard.

[Snowy]

I used plain old Sarson's.

 

The cake was lovely. Light and with a slightly fudgey texture.

 

Ever so nice with custard.

yes we had some for 'pudding' with custard. Got the thumbs up all round

Not much left now though - I was hoping it would last a bit longer than 1 day

[Egluntyne]

No chance.

[Patricia W]

Thank you so much for posting this! We lived in Canada in the 70's and I bought a Chatelaine cook book with lots of lovely recipes, including this one for Wacky Cake.

 

This recipe proved the staple of most children's birthday cakes, Black Forest Gateaus and brownie recipes for years. I passed it to numerous people and it worked for everyone. THEN - DS number one " borrowed" the cookbook to take to Uni - and it never came back!

 

I should have known that Omleteers would have it!

 

Tricia

[Lesley]

Glad to help out!! - I lost my copy for a few years so was pleased when I found it again.

 

Which part of Canada Tricia? - our copy came from Minnesota which has a high scandinavian population.

 

I'll have Lauren here today so as well as muffins I think I'll make this with her - and add the cream cheese topping to make it into a Guinness Cake!

[Patricia W]

Sorry not to reply sooner, Lesley - not dropped back in this one much. We lived in Guelph which is about 60 miles from Toronto. Lovely little place although it has grown enormously lately and when we went back recently, I decided we'd made the right decision to come back here- for all sorts of reasons.

 

The cookbook I got it from was published by a national magazine, I think called Chatelaine, the Canadian equivalent of Good Housekeeping.

 

If you google Wacky Cake it comes up as an old American recipe developed when eggs were either scarce or expensive. Whatever the reason, I'm glad it was invented - and even more pleased to re-find it again!

 

Tricia

[Lesley]

I did Google it - and found one with a peanut butter frosting! - I'll probably wish I hadn't

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Wacky Cake

 

Submitted By: Teryl Shryack

Photo By: Verena

Servings: 18

 

 

"Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. This recipe has been a favorite for birthdays in my family for years. The cake is very moist."

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

powder

2 cups white sugar

10 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

2 cups warm water

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, softened

 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and white sugar.

2. To the sifted ingredients, add the 10 tablespoons butter or margarine, vinegar, and warm water. Mix thoroughly, but do not beat. Pour batter into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove cake from oven, but keep it in the pan.

4. Cream together peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, and 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Spread icing onto cake. Place under broiler until brown and bubbly.

[Patricia W]

Sounds lovely - mustn't make it.... mustn't...

 

Tricia

[Egluntyne]

Noooooooooooooo!!!!

 

Get thee behind me!!

[Lesley]

It's my son's birthday next week - I think I might make some as cupcakes.......at least I won't be eating them all myself!

[Snowy]

Oh my word! I have a fresh baked, uncut wacky cake that is now looking very naked!! Hm, boys won't eat it with peanut butter on. It will have to stay naked this time

[Egluntyne]

You could put pnb on half, by way of an experiment.

[The Dogmother]

It's my son's birthday next week - I think I might make some as cupcakes.......at least I won't be eating them all myself!

 

No?

 

I am going to make some Whacky Cake for Rosie's birthday (she's 12 today) 3 friends are coming around on Saturday, so will ice it with white cream cheese icing and sprinkle with grated milk chocolate.