Crazy Cake

A fudgy chocolate cake recipe that uses no eggs, milk, or butter! Includes a simple chocolate frosting recipe (that also does not use eggs, milk, or butter!).

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings pieces

Calories 489kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Mixing bowls

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (35 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
⅓ cup (80 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar¹
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING

1 ½ cups (190 g) powdered sugar
¼ cup (25 g) natural cocoa powder
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and lightly grease an 8x8 glass baking dish².
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
1 cup water, ⅓ cup avocado, vegetable, or canola oil, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar¹, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk or stir all ingredients together until batter is smooth.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake on 350F (175C) for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake or the cake will be dry.
Allow cake to cool before frosting.

ICING:

To prepare the icing, whick together sugar, cocoa powder, water, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Icing should be a thick and fudgy consistency, but should be spread-able. If it is too thick, add additional water one teaspoon at a time until the proper consistency is achieved.
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup natural cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
Once cake has cooled, gently spread frosting evenly overtop. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

¹You may substitute apple cider vinegar, but beyond that I do not know of an acceptable substitute for the vinegar in this recipe. Please see the post for the role vinegar plays in this recipe.

²If you bake this in an aluminum baking dish it might cause the cake to have a metallic taste. If you only have this type of dish, you can line the pan with parchment paper to prevent this.

This cake may instead be baked in a 9x9 or 11x7 baking dish, but keep an eye on it as the baking time will be reduced.

You can make this a vanilla cake by leaving out the cocoa powder.

STORING:
Store covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cake will keep even longer if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator by the fridge may dry out the cake a bit.

Nutrition