Call it chocolate depression cake, crazy cake or wacky cake - this simple chocolate cake recipe remains the same! No eggs, no butter, no milk, no mixer, and it's all made in one bowl. The result is a moist, rich, fudgy sweet chocolate cake that's perfect for when you're low on fresh ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with parchment paper and nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon, and whisk to combine.
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add water, oil, vanilla and vinegar and whisk until fully combined.
1 cup warm water, 1/3 cup oil, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon vinegar
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled before you make your icing.
Chocolate Icing
In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and water and whisk to combine.
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons water
Give it a taste and if it's too sweet, add a pinch of salt and whisk again to combine.
pinch salt
The icing should be thick, but pourable. If you need to thin it out more, add 1/2 tablespoon water at a time and whisk to combine after each addition until it reaches the desired consistency.
Pour the icing on top of the cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the top of the cake. The icing will set relatively quickly, so you won't have to wait long to slice the cake into 9-16 pieces, serve and enjoy!
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Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container (or cover the cake with plastic wrap) at room temperature for up to 5 days. It will keep longer in the refrigerator, but keep it tightly covered to keep it from drying out.Freezing: Let the cake cool completely after being, then wrap the unfrosted cake in several layers of plastic wrap, followed my aluminum foil, and then place it inside a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you're ready to frost and serve the cake, let the frozen cake come to room temperature before frosting (about 3 hours).Cupcakes: To make as cupcakes instead of sheet cake, fill each cupcake tin about 3/4 full with the cake batter, and bake for about half the time indicated in the recipe card - around 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.