I've made this kind of cake for years! My daughter was allergic to eggs and dairy as a toddler and I never wanted her to feel like she would be excluded from cakes. I always added the vinegar at the very last moment as that foaming is the air bubbles in the cake and you want to maintain as many as possible. The basic batter is great as a lemon cake, too. I would make coconut whipped cream to top. So glad to see you're senses are returning!
@@jean2448 The recipe is very similar except no cocoa and I half the water and add a half-cup of squeezed lemon juice, and added the zest of the lemons. I don't know why lukewarm water makes a difference for this recipe and I just used whatever came from the tap.
I've always known this as wacky cake! its what my family makes for birthday cake and is my fav and I've been so grateful as a student to always be able to make it with pantry staples (veg oil, no butter) after moving away from my family. its so beautiful with a simple ganache (thou that does negate the dairy free aspect lmao)
My family also has a version of this cake, but we don't put coffee in it. We call it Screwball Cake and my husband loves it with peanut butter frosting. 🤤
I started making it years ago when my daughter was a toddler with egg allergies. I always used a cooked caramel frosting that pours nicely when still warm. When she moved after college I made one in my best covered pan and sent it along with the recipe. Her fiancé now makes it for her every birthday.
For a sweet but not overly sweet icing, I take 2 boxes of chocolate pudding or whatever flavor I am going for and mix it with the directions of 1 box. It's thick and refreshing.
I actually like homemade pudding...nor so much the boxed stuff...I wonder if I could reduce the milk in my homemade recipe, but keep the corn starch and egg yolks the same. Thanks for the idea!
This has been the go to chocolate cake in my family for over 30 years. You seem to know all the tricks, using coffee instead of water etc. This cake is so rich and chocolaty it can stand alone with no topping. One of my favorite ways to have it is with a chocolate whipped cream instead of frosting. I also have a wacky spice cake recipe that is amazing with cream cheese frosting.
I'm so glad to hear you're starting to get your sense of taste and smell back! I had COVID last year in February and while my senses recovered within a month or two I still don't feel like it's the same as pre-covid... And sometimes it's like I temporarily lose smell or it's really muted, even now almost a year later 🫤
Same here, at least for my sense of taste! It’s kinda random, like it’ll be fine for months at a time and then for a week or two things just taste “off”. Such a weird phenomenon!
I remember making Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake as a child with my grandmother. It’s the BEST moist chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted! I HIGHLY recommend trying it at least once! You don’t taste any mayonnaise at all. Topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting.
I grew up making this, we called it Goofy Cake and always topped it with peanut butter in lieu of frosting! I love to add chocolate chips to the batter and make muffins with it! Sometimes I skip the cocoa and add extra vanilla and sprinkles to make a confetti cake.
So you are saying that because I am lactose intolerant and sensitive to eggs I would have thrived during the Depression? Fantastic! I’m making this cake tomorrow
I am so glad you are getting your senses back! One of the things that makes your channel so amazing is your detailed and vivid descriptions of flavors and textures.
Due to the allergies you’ve mentioned I’m not sure if it’d be suitable but - Most boxed cake mixes are dairy/egg free. Grab a box of Betty Crocker cake mix and mix it with around one can of any pop or fizzy water. Bake as normal. Boom easy allergen free cake!
My granny and i made this for my home eco class in the 70's, granny liked to show her up because she thought she was teaching us to be wasteful lol. She was raising children during the depression in a train car con verted into their home in MNN.
I have the same Breville toaster oven. It tends to cook/bake things quicker than regular ovens. Since this is an older recipe, they probably used a large oven. It would likely need more time in a larger oven. I always rotate halfway through to help it bake evenly (when not using convection), and so I can see how quickly it’s baking.
I grew up making a version of this wacky cake. But we mixed the whole thing right in the pan (not greased, no parchment): first all the dry ingredients in the pan, then make 3 indentations and add vanilla in one, water (or coffee) in the 2nd, and vinegar in the third. Then mix and bake. That worked just fine and very little to clean up!
This was in a Marlboro cookbook about 40 years ago ( OMG I'm OLD) I got it for free with a carton of Marlboro Red. There was a recipe for coffee marinated pork chops, and chili of course.
My family started using this recipe when my nephew developed several food allergies. It's a great recipe for food issues- it's vegan, free of eggs and dairy, and works really well with gluten-free flour. It's also SUPER tasty, and even though my nephew has grown out of his allergies, it's still my default cake recipe. I love it with a chocolate ganache icing (melt dark/semisweet chocolate with an equal weight of heavy cream, pour over cake). For anyone who wants to try this, it works equally well with natural or Dutch process cocoa, and I've never bothered to sift it. I don't even bother to get out the mixer, tbh, I just mix everything with a wire whisk! It really is nearly foolproof!
I used to make wedding cakes and Wacky Cake is my go to chocolate cake recipe for those that chose chocolate cake. It's super moist, super chocolatey, and it holds frostings great without crumbing up the frosting.
Hi Emmy! You can use the regular American style cocoa powder (we use Hershey's) and this cake turns out wonderful. You can also make different flavor combinations from this versatile recipe. If baking with chocolate I always use coffee in place of water and the results are great. Also fun to substitute with chai tea for a cinnamon chocolate flavor cake.
I have a cookbook from 1938 that has such delicacies as pigeon pie, tripe patties ,braised brains, pickled pigs feet, souse (needs one hogs head with instructions to remove the eyes and brains) , head cheese, and my personal favorite -roast opossum which gives such helpful instructions like “Remove head and tail, if desired.” I received it from my mother-in-law and it is pure gold!
My recipe from grade school (in the 70s) for this cake is called crazy cake. Your video timing is perfect - just yesterday I was wondering where I put that recipe, since I've been feeling like making it. Super glad to hear your senses of taste and smell are returning!
I first heard of this as Wacky Cake, then Depression Cake. Love this cake. The last two birthday's had this cake. It lasts a good while if covered well and frosted. Lemon and vanilla versions are wonderful. So glad you spread this little bit of wonder to others and I hope they enjoy it as much as my family has. Though I do a different frosting, and jam goes well with it, too. I have used milk in it instead of water and melted butter instead of oil. Gives a lovely added flavor, but not necessary. I also found you can mix it in a bowl then put it in a buttered and floured pan and it comes out well. Just add all the liquids at the same time and mix quickly.
The reason you can't taste the vinegar is because of the reaction it had with baking soda Mixing both of these creates a reaction of carbon dioxide gas (which is the bubbling you see once they come together) and also a salt, hence the reason you can't taste it - it became something else :)
I have tried this recipe several times, and change the vinegar with lemon or orange water or apple vinegar and those little thing change a lot especially the aroma ☺️
I made this for yesterday's church potluck. Since it's a "Depression" cake, I left it unfrosted, and everyone said it was rich and chocolatey as is. I love how the coffee deepens the flavor and keeps it just sweet enough to enjoy.
kind of surreal that this recipe fits our current situation despite it being a depression era recipe. i really hope families that need cheer in our current depression can use this recipe for overall morale
I make it for my husband's birthday. Chocolate is his favorite cake. I don't use coffee. My recipe has you mix it right in the baking pan just using a spoon and bakes only bakes for 30 min. Easy, light and delicious cake. We're plant-based, so I use plant milk and butter for the frosting.
This is my favorite cake recipe. My son has also been making it since he was only two years long (at first with help of course). I made it with my Mom and my Grandma growing up. A family favorite for generations.
Wacky Cake! I love that recipe so much it’s one of my moms family’s classics! We also made them as cupcakes with a sweetened cream cheese filling calling them uhh… bird droppings. They looks gross but so good
That cake looks yummy. I used to make a frosting very similar to that when I baked a lot for my family when I was a teenager. Be sure to check with your local farmers to get fresh eggs and vegetables. They usually have very good prices compared to the grocery stores and the food is fresher. Support your the small farms in your area. Many also have honey. Local honey is good for you.
@@LeaSonnenscheinTrier I know that Emmy keeps bees. My comment was to encourage others to support the farmers in their own communities. I am able to get honey,eggs,fresh produce and some beef and bacon through a program that brings the food into the communities that have senior citizens that have difficulty getting out to shop.
Oh my gosh, so excited to get this recipe. Wacky Cake was my dad's favorite, and my mom lost her recipe many years before she passed. I'm so excited to make this. Thank you for sharing!
My partner's family has a chocolate cake family recipe that uses vinegar. It's the most delicious chocolate cake and I always look forward to their family birthdays.
The version I've been using for decades is called Wowie Cake and supposed to mix in the baking dish, though I find I get better results when I use a bowl, it's fine for cupcakes too, and works with gluten free flours... mine's got no baking powder though and no vanilla although I add some anyways. And the recipe I have calls for half a cup of oil like Emmy's recipe. I love it, it's good, and faster than boxed cake mix. I can have it all together before the oven's up to heat.
@@AvaNightingale pretty much emmy's recipe link only without the coffee or vanilla, though I add vanilla anyways 1.5c flour (gf works too) 1c sugar (have done it with Splenda but don't also do gluten free or you get chocolate brick) 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt (I never remember to put it in) 1/4-1/2c cocoa depending how much you like 1 cup water 1/2 cup oil (can be mostly replaced with applesauce if trying to reduce fats) 1 Tbsp vinegar splash of vanilla I mix all the dry ingredients together then measure the wet ingredients into a 2c measure, oil then vanilla and vinegar then water to 1.5c total, mix it all together, pour into lined or greased baking dish or cupcake tin, bake at 350F until toothpick comes out clean, I think I start the timer at 30 min and check every 5 min once it stopsjiggline? Takes about 15 min if you do it as cupcakes.
Hey emmy- happy to see any depression era food you make!!! I just saw a recipe for depression era sausage, it did not contain meat- it used black eyed peas. Think it’s something you could definitely try. Think I’m gonna try making a video of it in a couple weeks
I wish I knew about this way of making egg free cake. I used flax eggs but it makes a muffin like grainy texture. I had a coworker who was allergic to eggs. This would have been perfect! I'll definitely remember this recipe next time I need an egg free dessert.
Am i the only one who plays her videos to fall asleep? No lie anytime I’m having issues going to bed, i play her videos in the background. They’re so soothing
My mom called this Cockeyed cake. We never used box mixes in our house because of this recipe! But the directions were much more fun: add dry ingredients directly into the pan, mix lightly, make 3 holes (one larger than the others), the oil went into the large hole, the vinegar into another, and last was the vanilla. Pour in the cup of water and mix, bake. (350 degrees for 25 minutes) so I was really surprised your recipe was 45 minutes. Our 12 year old made this just a few days ago and it's the only cake he likes without frosting.
Depression cakes can be made in other flavors as well. We have seen yellow and carrot cake versions. With dairy and soy allergies the problem is really the frosting, but it does well with a glaze or just powdered sugar. Look forward to trying the coffee. Regards
Emmy!! I'm so excited to see you make this because my mother has been making this cake (minus the frosting) for our birthdays since we were very young. It was always called a Wowie Cake in my house and I know my mom got the recipe handwritten from my grandma!
Thank you Emmy for a great time as usual. You made my day better watching this yummy looking cake be made. It has been a rough week with sickness here in my house. I absolutely love your videos! My husband and I watch you together. The very first video I ever seen from you was the litter box cake haha. The rest is history and that was two years ago!
Thank you Emmy, for bringing to my mind wonderful memories of my granny. She grew up in the depression, and she used to make wacky cake for us when we were kids. Yum!! Love your content ❤️ I’m glad your taste and smell are returning, but I have been so impressed by your beautiful positive attitude during this difficult time you are going through. You are such a treasure. Ps, also thankful you and your sweet family came through it safely!! Peace ✌️
My mama made this cake allot when I was a kid and it's so good! She usually just made a rue out of powdered sugar and water for the frosting!! I'm so glad your taster and smeller are working again!!!!!
I remember this recipe from home economics class, with the exception of the coffee part. I did this back in junior high grade 8, in 1988. I might consider doing this again, but have to tweak the recipe a bit to attempt to make it more diabetic friendly
Adding the sugar to the flour prevents lumps and helps dissolve them too if they form. The sugar is hygroscopic and prevents the flour to lump together when liquids are added by dissolving in the liquids separating any lumps that might have formed if you just let it sit for a while and then stir it once more.
Oh Emmy you are so precious and this is exactly how I, too, felt when my senses finally returned!!! I’m so happy for you and celebrating with you!!! Editing to add after watching this I realized I have everything to make it and so now I am rewatching it and making it right along with you. Can’t wait to taste it !!!
@@ClanImprobable it was amazing!!!! Mine was more like a chocolate cobbler; I took it out before it got too overdone because I was nervous to over bake it. Absolutely decadent!
Another great recipe! I wonder if vinegar and lemon juice (or any citrus, for that matter) are interchangeable in recipes like this where the acid reaction is what you're going for. Vinegar might be undetectable, but maybe the citrus might add an additional layer of aroma or flavor. I sort of remember enjoying chocolate bars infused with citrus (lemon and orange), and I might try this recipe with that flavor profile as a goal.
My mom had a Depression era cake recipe that used cream of tartar as well as the other ingredients you used, with the exception of coffee. Mom would frost hers with 7 minute frosting. I miss that cake! I have her recipe here somewhere. Maybe I need to get baking!
Who wants a slice 🙋♀️ I am very happy that you are finally getting your sense of smell and taste back some. Hopefully, it keeps getting better every day!
This cake looks absolutely delicious! I wish I could just reach through the screen and get myself a piece of it. If only for the lovely scent of chocolate, right now. (It's a bit late here to have chocolate cake!) Thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous cake with us!
I love wacky cake! I always just mix it right in whatever pan I'll be baking it in (usually 9×13). It doesn't really stick and that way you don't have nearly as many dishes to clean up, though you do have to be sure and really get in the corners to get all the dry ingredients mixed in well. Also, try it with applesauce instead of frosting! It sounds weird, but it's super good, chocolate cake and applesauce is the perfect afternoon treat imo
oh wow , knowing how important food is to you I sure hope your full senses come back very soon thanks for the vid emmy , all chocolate cake is good and can't wait to try this
we call this "crazy cake" it's our birthday go-to we do cream cheese frosting or brown butter icing it's so yummy. best cake i've ever had. dont over mix it or it wont raise the same thats why it's good to mix the powders well before adding liquids
Love you so much, Emmy! So glad your senses are returning! I got Covid a couple days before Christmas, and lost my senses too. It was terrible! They were gone or greatly diminished for WEEKS! I'm actually still experiencing Covid symptoms almost a month later, and wake up every morning super congested and coughing 🙄 Oh yea, I wanted to let you know that the description says "making a cake without any cake or milk" just in case you'd like to fix it. Thanks for the recipe and video! I hope you continue to feel better!
This kind of looks like the chocolate brownies that come in Hungry Man dinners, so I wonder if it's similar to it in texture, or it could possibly work in the microwave in smaller amounts if you put it in a microwavable pan. I love those chocolate brownies and I've never understood why Swanson, (Or whatever the company is called,) never made them as a standalone product. I would think they'd be really popular.
@@janathompson1204 Yeah, I never understood why they don't make them as a standalone product. They could come in individual trays that you put in the microwave. Different companies have tried similar products before but they never take off for some reason. You could make microwave mug cakes, but that makes a huge mess in the mug that's hard to clean, and when I tried one, it just tasted like a chocolate flavored egg.
@@Melissa0774 I would try an eggless mug cake recipe. Doesn't help the mug mess afterwards, but I don't think soaking a mug in the sink for a while and then washing is such a big deal.
I love that the plate was too small. It's so relateable, lol. Also, I think this would be wonderful with a frosting from one of my mom's old cookbooks that uses instant coffee instead of the water to make a mocha frosting.
I make this cake when I'm craving something sweet! I'm breastfeeding and my lo doesn't tolerate dairy, eggs, or soy very well. We use avocado oil in place of vegetable oil. I also don't use coffee and make little wells in the flour for the liquids. 😊
This is one of the recipes I used to make a lot for my very allergy ridden ex. It was so good and easy! Thankful to now be able to use eggs, milk and nuts but I still love this recipe.
My sense of taste came back, but changed things. -I can't eat most store bought sour creams (my favorite condiment) because they smell like rotten yogurt now, but Mexican crema works like a charm -Certain fruits and veggies now taste floral, or perfumed, e.g. bell peppers, citrus fruits, tomatoes and even an avocado recently
So glad your sense of taste and smell are coming back! Yay! Can't wait for the day you post that you can actually smell coffee brewing again. Your smile will say it all, hon!😊
I've always called this crazy cake, and honestly, I found it to be so sweet that I could NOT stand to add any sort of frosting. I did that once, and was just a little overwhelmed. The cake by itself is so moist and chocolatey. Yay science!
Vinegar totally makes sense. I add vinegar to my pancake batter to make it more fluffy 😊 Thanks for posting this! I’ll have to try it soon. Would love to see more vegan recipes. You could do a “Will it vegan?” kinda thing 😂
Ooh this is perfect because I'm also in my depression era!
Hope you’re okay! ❤
Lol 😅 sending hugs your way ❤️
@@JoeyErkhoping g you feel better. Especially after the cake.
I've made this kind of cake for years! My daughter was allergic to eggs and dairy as a toddler and I never wanted her to feel like she would be excluded from cakes. I always added the vinegar at the very last moment as that foaming is the air bubbles in the cake and you want to maintain as many as possible. The basic batter is great as a lemon cake, too. I would make coconut whipped cream to top. So glad to see you're senses are returning!
Lemon cake sound delicious! How do you make it that way?
@@jean2448 The recipe is very similar except no cocoa and I half the water and add a half-cup of squeezed lemon juice, and added the zest of the lemons. I don't know why lukewarm water makes a difference for this recipe and I just used whatever came from the tap.
@Lavinia Marigold Thanks, I'll try this version soon.
Ooh the coconut whipping cream sounds good, do you just whip up canned coconut milk?
@@pgakt You can, or follow a stabilised cream recipe and add a little gelatine or arrowroot. It just needs to be very cold to remain solid.
I love the hard times and depression era recipes. There's so much to appreciate with simplicity.
I've always known this as wacky cake! its what my family makes for birthday cake and is my fav and I've been so grateful as a student to always be able to make it with pantry staples (veg oil, no butter) after moving away from my family. its so beautiful with a simple ganache (thou that does negate the dairy free aspect lmao)
My family also has a version of this cake, but we don't put coffee in it. We call it Screwball Cake and my husband loves it with peanut butter frosting. 🤤
I figured it was wacky cake as soon as I saw the title! Memories of my grandma...
I started making it years ago when my daughter was a toddler with egg allergies. I always used a cooked caramel frosting that pours nicely when still warm. When she moved after college I made one in my best covered pan and sent it along with the recipe. Her fiancé now makes it for her every birthday.
Crazy cake in Ohio, no coffee. It's so yummy!
My family calls it Screwy Louie hahahaha
For a sweet but not overly sweet icing, I take 2 boxes of chocolate pudding or whatever flavor I am going for and mix it with the directions of 1 box. It's thick and refreshing.
I do that but fold in some whipped up heavy cream at the end to make sort of a mousse
I actually like homemade pudding...nor so much the boxed stuff...I wonder if I could reduce the milk in my homemade recipe, but keep the corn starch and egg yolks the same. Thanks for the idea!
This has been the go to chocolate cake in my family for over 30 years. You seem to know all the tricks, using coffee instead of water etc. This cake is so rich and chocolaty it can stand alone with no topping. One of my favorite ways to have it is with a chocolate whipped cream instead of frosting. I also have a wacky spice cake recipe that is amazing with cream cheese frosting.
I'm so glad to hear you're starting to get your sense of taste and smell back! I had COVID last year in February and while my senses recovered within a month or two I still don't feel like it's the same as pre-covid... And sometimes it's like I temporarily lose smell or it's really muted, even now almost a year later 🫤
Same here, at least for my sense of taste! It’s kinda random, like it’ll be fine for months at a time and then for a week or two things just taste “off”.
Such a weird phenomenon!
I remember making Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake as a child with my grandmother. It’s the BEST moist chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted! I HIGHLY recommend trying it at least once! You don’t taste any mayonnaise at all. Topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting.
I’ve had mayonnaise cake & it’s the best cake, so moist and delicious.
Baby beets too 💝💝💝
I grew up making this, we called it Goofy Cake and always topped it with peanut butter in lieu of frosting! I love to add chocolate chips to the batter and make muffins with it! Sometimes I skip the cocoa and add extra vanilla and sprinkles to make a confetti cake.
So you are saying that because I am lactose intolerant and sensitive to eggs I would have thrived during the Depression? Fantastic!
I’m making this cake tomorrow
I am so glad you are getting your senses back! One of the things that makes your channel so amazing is your detailed and vivid descriptions of flavors and textures.
Bless you Emmy! I’m allergic to dairy and egg, so I’ve never had a cake in my life. This might just change that! Thank you so much for making this ❤
No one's made u an egg n dairy free cake , I work in a childcare our cook makes egg free cakes
thats crazy lol, you need to look up vegan cake recipes
@@carlamoss89 I’m also allergic to most tree nuts, peanuts and a crap ton of other things, so I can’t always find substitutes
Due to the allergies you’ve mentioned I’m not sure if it’d be suitable but - Most boxed cake mixes are dairy/egg free. Grab a box of Betty Crocker cake mix and mix it with around one can of any pop or fizzy water. Bake as normal. Boom easy allergen free cake!
My granny and i made this for my home eco class in the 70's, granny liked to show her up because she thought she was teaching us to be wasteful lol.
She was raising children during the depression in a train car con verted into their home in MNN.
I dreamt I met up with Emmy in Disneyland.. it was great.
Hey i was there too 🤣
I have the same Breville toaster oven. It tends to cook/bake things quicker than regular ovens. Since this is an older recipe, they probably used a large oven. It would likely need more time in a larger oven. I always rotate halfway through to help it bake evenly (when not using convection), and so I can see how quickly it’s baking.
I grew up making a version of this wacky cake. But we mixed the whole thing right in the pan (not greased, no parchment): first all the dry ingredients in the pan, then make 3 indentations and add vanilla in one, water (or coffee) in the 2nd, and vinegar in the third. Then mix and bake. That worked just fine and very little to clean up!
I love less dishes to wash!
This was in a Marlboro cookbook about 40 years ago ( OMG I'm OLD) I got it for free with a carton of Marlboro Red. There was a recipe for coffee marinated pork chops, and chili of course.
My family started using this recipe when my nephew developed several food allergies. It's a great recipe for food issues- it's vegan, free of eggs and dairy, and works really well with gluten-free flour. It's also SUPER tasty, and even though my nephew has grown out of his allergies, it's still my default cake recipe. I love it with a chocolate ganache icing (melt dark/semisweet chocolate with an equal weight of heavy cream, pour over cake).
For anyone who wants to try this, it works equally well with natural or Dutch process cocoa, and I've never bothered to sift it. I don't even bother to get out the mixer, tbh, I just mix everything with a wire whisk! It really is nearly foolproof!
I used to make wedding cakes and Wacky Cake is my go to chocolate cake recipe for those that chose chocolate cake. It's super moist, super chocolatey, and it holds frostings great without crumbing up the frosting.
Hi Emmy! You can use the regular American style cocoa powder (we use Hershey's) and this cake turns out wonderful. You can also make different flavor combinations from this versatile recipe. If baking with chocolate I always use coffee in place of water and the results are great. Also fun to substitute with chai tea for a cinnamon chocolate flavor cake.
I have a cookbook from 1938 that has such delicacies as pigeon pie, tripe patties ,braised brains, pickled pigs feet, souse (needs one hogs head with instructions to remove the eyes and brains) , head cheese, and my personal favorite -roast opossum which gives such helpful instructions like “Remove head and tail, if desired.” I received it from my mother-in-law and it is pure gold!
I’m so glad your taste and smell are returning. That’s amazing
The senses are definitely a blessing. So many things to experience. Glad your getting your taste back.
It's so nice to see the delight and joy coming back to your eyes as you recover!!! This cake looks amazing
I love that you clean as you go too. Who wants to clean up a big mess at the end?
My recipe from grade school (in the 70s) for this cake is called crazy cake. Your video timing is perfect - just yesterday I was wondering where I put that recipe, since I've been feeling like making it. Super glad to hear your senses of taste and smell are returning!
I first heard of this as Wacky Cake, then Depression Cake. Love this cake. The last two birthday's had this cake. It lasts a good while if covered well and frosted. Lemon and vanilla versions are wonderful. So glad you spread this little bit of wonder to others and I hope they enjoy it as much as my family has. Though I do a different frosting, and jam goes well with it, too. I have used milk in it instead of water and melted butter instead of oil. Gives a lovely added flavor, but not necessary. I also found you can mix it in a bowl then put it in a buttered and floured pan and it comes out well. Just add all the liquids at the same time and mix quickly.
The reason you can't taste the vinegar is because of the reaction it had with baking soda
Mixing both of these creates a reaction of carbon dioxide gas (which is the bubbling you see once they come together) and also a salt, hence the reason you can't taste it - it became something else :)
You mean the thing she literally said in the video lmao…were you even listening?
@@WomanTakenBytheWind no need to be rude. Just tried to go into a little bit more detail.
@@WomanTakenBytheWind bro calm down 😂😂
I have tried this recipe several times, and change the vinegar with lemon or orange water or apple vinegar and those little thing change a lot especially the aroma ☺️
Can you breakdown in what ways those change it? I'd love to jot that down so my recipes can be more adaptable!
@@AvaNightingale I'm sorry I cannot explain it clearly, but to make it simple it's like a chocolate orange or chocolate lemon IMO ☺️
I made this for yesterday's church potluck. Since it's a "Depression" cake, I left it unfrosted, and everyone said it was rich and chocolatey as is. I love how the coffee deepens the flavor and keeps it just sweet enough to enjoy.
kind of surreal that this recipe fits our current situation despite it being a depression era recipe. i really hope families that need cheer in our current depression can use this recipe for overall morale
I make it for my husband's birthday. Chocolate is his favorite cake. I don't use coffee. My recipe has you mix it right in the baking pan just using a spoon and bakes only bakes for 30 min. Easy, light and delicious cake. We're plant-based, so I use plant milk and butter for the frosting.
This is my favorite cake recipe. My son has also been making it since he was only two years long (at first with help of course). I made it with my Mom and my Grandma growing up. A family favorite for generations.
Wacky Cake! I love that recipe so much it’s one of my moms family’s classics! We also made them as cupcakes with a sweetened cream cheese filling calling them uhh… bird droppings. They looks gross but so good
My family has always called it crazy cake! And we always make homemade whipped cream to use as frosting.
That cake looks yummy. I used to make a frosting very similar to that when I baked a lot for my family when I was a teenager. Be sure to check with your local farmers to get fresh eggs and vegetables. They usually have very good prices compared to the grocery stores and the food is fresher. Support your the small farms in your area. Many also have honey. Local honey is good for you.
Emmy is a beekeeper herself and has her own honey. She even has a own channel about it
@@LeaSonnenscheinTrier I know that Emmy keeps bees. My comment was to encourage others to support the farmers in their own communities. I am able to get honey,eggs,fresh produce and some beef and bacon through a program that brings the food into the communities that have senior citizens that have difficulty getting out to shop.
My gf’s recipe for this cake has you do the mixing in the cake pan. Awesome recipe!
Oh my gosh, so excited to get this recipe. Wacky Cake was my dad's favorite, and my mom lost her recipe many years before she passed. I'm so excited to make this. Thank you for sharing!
My partner's family has a chocolate cake family recipe that uses vinegar. It's the most delicious chocolate cake and I always look forward to their family birthdays.
@@rulingstone123 Second here
The version I've been using for decades is called Wowie Cake and supposed to mix in the baking dish, though I find I get better results when I use a bowl, it's fine for cupcakes too, and works with gluten free flours... mine's got no baking powder though and no vanilla although I add some anyways. And the recipe I have calls for half a cup of oil like Emmy's recipe. I love it, it's good, and faster than boxed cake mix. I can have it all together before the oven's up to heat.
That sounds amazing! Care to share? I am disabled and know a lot of folks who appreciate an easy cake recipe!
@@AvaNightingale pretty much emmy's recipe link only without the coffee or vanilla, though I add vanilla anyways
1.5c flour (gf works too)
1c sugar (have done it with Splenda but don't also do gluten free or you get chocolate brick)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (I never remember to put it in)
1/4-1/2c cocoa depending how much you like
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil (can be mostly replaced with applesauce if trying to reduce fats)
1 Tbsp vinegar
splash of vanilla
I mix all the dry ingredients together then measure the wet ingredients into a 2c measure, oil then vanilla and vinegar then water to 1.5c total, mix it all together, pour into lined or greased baking dish or cupcake tin, bake at 350F until toothpick comes out clean, I think I start the timer at 30 min and check every 5 min once it stopsjiggline? Takes about 15 min if you do it as cupcakes.
@@bunhelsingslegacy3549 thank you so much!
Hey emmy- happy to see any depression era food you make!!! I just saw a recipe for depression era sausage, it did not contain meat- it used black eyed peas. Think it’s something you could definitely try. Think I’m gonna try making a video of it in a couple weeks
You can use vegetable shortening in place of butter for the frosting. That's how most shelf stable commercial frostings are made.
I wish I knew about this way of making egg free cake. I used flax eggs but it makes a muffin like grainy texture. I had a coworker who was allergic to eggs. This would have been perfect! I'll definitely remember this recipe next time I need an egg free dessert.
Am i the only one who plays her videos to fall asleep? No lie anytime I’m having issues going to bed, i play her videos in the background. They’re so soothing
My mom called this Cockeyed cake. We never used box mixes in our house because of this recipe! But the directions were much more fun: add dry ingredients directly into the pan, mix lightly, make 3 holes (one larger than the others), the oil went into the large hole, the vinegar into another, and last was the vanilla. Pour in the cup of water and mix, bake. (350 degrees for 25 minutes) so I was really surprised your recipe was 45 minutes. Our 12 year old made this just a few days ago and it's the only cake he likes without frosting.
Depression cakes can be made in other flavors as well. We have seen yellow and carrot cake versions. With dairy and soy allergies the problem is really the frosting, but it does well with a glaze or just powdered sugar. Look forward to trying the coffee. Regards
Emmy!! I'm so excited to see you make this because my mother has been making this cake (minus the frosting) for our birthdays since we were very young. It was always called a Wowie Cake in my house and I know my mom got the recipe handwritten from my grandma!
I am happy your senses came back!! And that choco cake OMGGGG
Thank you Emmy for a great time as usual. You made my day better watching this yummy looking cake be made. It has been a rough week with sickness here in my house. I absolutely love your videos! My husband and I watch you together. The very first video I ever seen from you was the litter box cake haha. The rest is history and that was two years ago!
Thank you Emmy, for bringing to my mind wonderful memories of my granny. She grew up in the depression, and she used to make wacky cake for us when we were kids. Yum!! Love your content ❤️ I’m glad your taste and smell are returning, but I have been so impressed by your beautiful positive attitude during this difficult time you are going through. You are such a treasure. Ps, also thankful you and your sweet family came through it safely!! Peace ✌️
I hope this goes in your Hard Times playlist. It's great
Your giggle is so adorable! My favorite part of frosting is also smooshing the frosting around with an offset spatula. :)
omg the happy little "I can taste this" dance at 12:55 absolutely made my day! XD
My mama made this cake allot when I was a kid and it's so good! She usually just made a rue out of powdered sugar and water for the frosting!! I'm so glad your taster and smeller are working again!!!!!
I remember this recipe from home economics class, with the exception of the coffee part. I did this back in junior high grade 8, in 1988. I might consider doing this again, but have to tweak the recipe a bit to attempt to make it more diabetic friendly
Adding the sugar to the flour prevents lumps and helps dissolve them too if they form. The sugar is hygroscopic and prevents the flour to lump together when liquids are added by dissolving in the liquids separating any lumps that might have formed if you just let it sit for a while and then stir it once more.
Thank you for explaining how and why it works 😊
You can tell throughout the whole video that you are in such good spirits gaining your senses back 💖 it’s so great to see and I’m so happy for you!
I can feel your excitement through the screen, I'm happy that you can taste and smell again
Oh Emmy you are so precious and this is exactly how I, too, felt when my senses finally returned!!! I’m so happy for you and celebrating with you!!!
Editing to add after watching this I realized I have everything to make it and so now I am rewatching it and making it right along with you. Can’t wait to taste it !!!
Has it cooled yet? 🥮
@@ClanImprobable it was amazing!!!! Mine was more like a chocolate cobbler; I took it out before it got too overdone because I was nervous to over bake it. Absolutely decadent!
seeing you so happy that you could taste again was so so sweet! I know you are so relieved!!
Thank you! I'm so happy and relieved. 🙏🏼
Another great recipe! I wonder if vinegar and lemon juice (or any citrus, for that matter) are interchangeable in recipes like this where the acid reaction is what you're going for. Vinegar might be undetectable, but maybe the citrus might add an additional layer of aroma or flavor. I sort of remember enjoying chocolate bars infused with citrus (lemon and orange), and I might try this recipe with that flavor profile as a goal.
So relieved you’re gaining your sense of taste and smell back. That’s great.
So glad your sense of taste is returning!!
My mom had a Depression era cake recipe that used cream of tartar as well as the other ingredients you used, with the exception of coffee. Mom would frost hers with 7 minute frosting. I miss that cake! I have her recipe here somewhere. Maybe I need to get baking!
I have just decided that I can't afford to buy eggs.... So i'm definitely going to have to try this chocolate cake recipe out it looks delicious!
Who wants a slice 🙋♀️ I am very happy that you are finally getting your sense of smell and taste back some. Hopefully, it keeps getting better every day!
This cake looks absolutely delicious! I wish I could just reach through the screen and get myself a piece of it. If only for the lovely scent of chocolate, right now. (It's a bit late here to have chocolate cake!) Thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous cake with us!
Glad to hear you say your sense of smell and taste are returning! A great way to celebrate- dessert!!!
I love wacky cake! I always just mix it right in whatever pan I'll be baking it in (usually 9×13). It doesn't really stick and that way you don't have nearly as many dishes to clean up, though you do have to be sure and really get in the corners to get all the dry ingredients mixed in well. Also, try it with applesauce instead of frosting! It sounds weird, but it's super good, chocolate cake and applesauce is the perfect afternoon treat imo
oh wow , knowing how important food is to you I sure hope your full senses come back very soon
thanks for the vid emmy , all chocolate cake is good and can't wait to try this
Happy to hear u r getting yr sense of smell back.
One of my mother's favorite cake recipes is Wacky Cake, which is essentially this. I have great nostalgia for it.
So glad your senses are coming back! Mine still aren't 100% and it's been 5 months.
This cake looks amazing!
we call this "crazy cake" it's our birthday go-to we do cream cheese frosting or brown butter icing it's so yummy. best cake i've ever had. dont over mix it or it wont raise the same thats why it's good to mix the powders well before adding liquids
Love you so much, Emmy! So glad your senses are returning! I got Covid a couple days before Christmas, and lost my senses too. It was terrible! They were gone or greatly diminished for WEEKS! I'm actually still experiencing Covid symptoms almost a month later, and wake up every morning super congested and coughing 🙄
Oh yea, I wanted to let you know that the description says "making a cake without any cake or milk" just in case you'd like to fix it. Thanks for the recipe and video! I hope you continue to feel better!
Thank you!I hope that you make a full recovery soon and thanks for pointing out the description. I'll fix it in a jiffy.😊
@@emmymade oh my gosh I'm so excited you replied!!! I've been a fan for a long time and love what you do!
I love these!! The pine soda with lemon was my 1st video I've been binging.
I'm definitely going to use this recipe to make individual butterfly cakes - thanks for the no-nonsense recipe Emmy! x
Emmy you are like a kid at Christmas now that your sense of taste and smell coming back. You are so cute and I love you to pieces. ❤️❤️
Given the cost of eggs and milk, this recipe is a great addition.
I’ve made a cake like this before, and added a cup of coffee. It gives the cake a rich chocolate-coffee taste, it’s amazing
You re gorgeous in so many ways. warm, friendly, young and humourous and so brave -
Glad you are feeling better. Yay for taste!!!!
Yyyyeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh !!!!!!!!! Thank God you are back with full senses !!!!! Missed your experience. Hope the rest of your family is well.
This kind of looks like the chocolate brownies that come in Hungry Man dinners, so I wonder if it's similar to it in texture, or it could possibly work in the microwave in smaller amounts if you put it in a microwavable pan. I love those chocolate brownies and I've never understood why Swanson, (Or whatever the company is called,) never made them as a standalone product. I would think they'd be really popular.
My sister and I used to make small batches to bake in her EasyBake oven when we were kids.
I like those brownies too! This cake doesn't taste like them though.
@@janathompson1204 Yeah, I never understood why they don't make them as a standalone product. They could come in individual trays that you put in the microwave. Different companies have tried similar products before but they never take off for some reason. You could make microwave mug cakes, but that makes a huge mess in the mug that's hard to clean, and when I tried one, it just tasted like a chocolate flavored egg.
@@Melissa0774 I would try an eggless mug cake recipe. Doesn't help the mug mess afterwards, but I don't think soaking a mug in the sink for a while and then washing is such a big deal.
I'm so glad your smell and taste are coming back! Congratulations!
I am so happy your senses are retutning. I can imagine how relieved you are. :)
I love that the plate was too small. It's so relateable, lol. Also, I think this would be wonderful with a frosting from one of my mom's old cookbooks that uses instant coffee instead of the water to make a mocha frosting.
YEAH, Emmy! So glad to know that chocolate and coffee are Baaaaaack! XXo
So glad your taste and smell is returning! What a wonderful turn of events.
What a relief that your sense of smell and taste are returning!
I made a Wacky Cake for my bonus daughter for her birthday. It was delicious!
I make this cake when I'm craving something sweet! I'm breastfeeding and my lo doesn't tolerate dairy, eggs, or soy very well. We use avocado oil in place of vegetable oil.
I also don't use coffee and make little wells in the flour for the liquids. 😊
I used to make a version of this but it was called crazy cake and it was mixed right in the baking pan. Haven’t made it for years but my kids loved it
This is one of the recipes I used to make a lot for my very allergy ridden ex. It was so good and easy!
Thankful to now be able to use eggs, milk and nuts but I still love this recipe.
My sense of taste came back, but changed things.
-I can't eat most store bought sour creams (my favorite condiment) because they smell like rotten yogurt now, but Mexican crema works like a charm
-Certain fruits and veggies now taste floral, or perfumed, e.g. bell peppers, citrus fruits, tomatoes and even an avocado recently
So glad your sense of taste and smell are coming back! Yay! Can't wait for the day you post that you can actually smell coffee brewing again. Your smile will say it all, hon!😊
I've always called this crazy cake, and honestly, I found it to be so sweet that I could NOT stand to add any sort of frosting. I did that once, and was just a little overwhelmed. The cake by itself is so moist and chocolatey. Yay science!
Yay, science, indeed! 😆
You could make the frosting with a little bit of peppermint extract or any other addition to make different chocolate cakes.
Vinegar totally makes sense. I add vinegar to my pancake batter to make it more fluffy 😊 Thanks for posting this! I’ll have to try it soon. Would love to see more vegan recipes. You could do a “Will it vegan?” kinda thing 😂
I really enjoyed this video, thank you! I’m excited to try this at home and appreciate all your insight during the video!
I think I've made this cake before, I have an egg allergy so I always appreciate recipes that I don't have to make modifications to.