Nanna's recipe for Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups S.R. flour - 8oz	1 TBLs vinegar
1 cup sugar - 6oz	1/2 tsp bi-carb
2 TBLs cocoa	Cup hot water
5oz melted marg	1 egg (optional)

 

"Mix dry ingredients. Add marg, vinegar, beaten egg and hot water. Runny batter consistency. Bake Mark 4 or 375 for 45 mins."

This recipe has been in the family for years - apparently 'Wacky Cake' was invented during the Depression when milk and eggs were scarce. I'm guessing Nanna used it during WW2 rationing.

The thing is, it doesn't taste like anything's been scrimped on. The vinegar and bicarb make the batter bubble and rise, resulting in a moist. gooey chocolate sponge which you can't just have one slice of...

* SONG OF THE DAY: Shanks & Bigfoot - Sweet like Chocolate *

Comments

[Camilla]

This sounds very much like our family favourite 'puddle cake'or 'cow pat cake'. We make it by putting all the dry ingredients in a cake tin in a pile, then adding the wet ones and watching the magic fizzing.

[Lauren]

Heh heh, our grandmas were vegan bakers before we even knew what vegan baking was! That's actually how this recipe came into my life. A friend's grandma was like "You don't eat eggs or milk? Oh, we used to have a recipe during the Depression that you might like". I'll second the idea that it doesn't taste like it's "missing" anything.
Thanks for sharing!