Crazy Cake

It's grey outside.

 There's a bitter cold wind.

The brave little purple crocus flowers, which a couple of weeks ago were happily opening their pretty faces towards the early spring sun, are now furled tight like closed umbrellas. 

The cold and cough that have been hanging around too long are getting you down.

So what's a girl to do but ...............bake!

BAKE A CHOCOLATE CAKE!

Now this is one clever recipe, given to me by my good friend Julie from the USA who was given it by her friend Val when she was a student in California back in the 80's.

The whole preparation process is so easy, no hassle even when you're feeling under the weather - all you need is..........

 a large baking tin, a set of measuring cups (or a tea cup would do), a set of measuring spoons ( or a teaspoon and a tablespoon) and a spoon to stir.

Here's the crazy stuff

 - you make it direct in the tin, no mixing bowl

- no eggs

-no butter

- you use vinegar (!) but don't let this put you off - you won't know it's there

Here's the recipe

VAL BAWDEN'S CRAZY CAKE - 1982

3 cups flour ( self-raising, but can use plain with an extra 3/4tsp baking powder per cup, or a mix with ground porridge oats is good)

2 tsp bicarb of soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Pre-heat oven to 350 F, 160 C fan

Place all dry ingredients into a 9 x 13 inch (ungreased) tin ( I used a roasting tin) and mix well.

Make three indentations in the dry mix and add the following, one ingredient to each hole.

3/4 cup oil ( I used olive oil)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tblsp vinegar ( I used cider vinegar, wine vinegar would also work but I'm not sure about malt!)

Then pour 2 cups cold water over the entire mixture and mix well until everything blended.

Bake 25 - 30 mins.

May still be moist but do not overbake.

Cake may sink a little but it is moist and yummy!

So - no eggs, no butter, no mixing bowl!

I believe this may be an adaptation of cake recipes used during the war when eggs and butter were scarce, and I've seen a few such recipes floating around recently on Pinterest.

It can be eaten as it is,or you could add icing - Julie sometimes adds a chocolate cream cheese topping.

Go on, give it a whirl!
It'll make the dull day feel brighter!