Yeah, it was made originally because other ingredients weren’t available in WWII. My grandmother used to tell me about her mother making it, and gave she all her grand-kids a recipe book filled with the things she cooked when we went over.
I grew up on this cake because my mother is allergic to eggs. I introduced it to my husband who has all kinds of food allergies and now it’s the only cake he’ll eat. SO easy to make!
I have a similar version from my granny! But if you use hot coffee instead of water and /or bread flour, you get a different texture and a caffeine kick.
Yay! Thanks for putting vegans in a good light! Most of us are really loving and never judge anyone! And this cake sounds yummy! Now I have a new recipe to try!
I LOVE wacky cake! I’ve never met anyone else who calls it that though- out here in Seattle they just call it Vegan Chocolate Cake, which I think kinda takes all the fun out of it.
This was every childhood birthday cake for me.
I worry that it won’t mix properly (like pockets of flour in the edge), or stick, if you do it that way. Wouldn’t it be better to mix it in a bowl and pour it in a greased pan? (Even though it’s less wacky that way)
We’ve made the recipe dozens of times like this and it’s yet to fail us! We just make sure to scrape the edges with a fork really well and get any lumps out. The slices pop out of the pan pretty easily! This is definitely the method of making it if you plan on serving it out of the pan (as depicted in the comic) but you can do it the old fashioned way with a greased pan and separate bowl if you want to pop it out and decorate like a traditional cake. Though, the edges won’t be as crispy, which is my wife’s favorite part!
I can’t wait to try making this cake! And it’ll be great to have a go-to recipe for something I can share with vegan friends (as long as I read my ingredients properly)!
I have never seen oil or vinegar included in a cake recipe, but then again, I just spend all day Googling cake recipes, yep, I’m a cake Googler, so I am.
…
But really, I don’t do cakes, and yet those two ingredients seem odd to me.
Oil’s not weird in cake. It’s actually fairly common. Cakes are fattening, so they usually have some form of oil, butter, or shortening in them. Oil’s easiest since it is liquid at room temperature, which makes it easy to mix in without needing to melt it first. Vinegar is a bit weird in a cake, but in this sort of cake, vinegar is what reacts with the baking soda to make the cake rise.
Not in a strict “it has to be a face” way, but it is a universal step in most wacky cake recipes to keep the wet ingredients separate until the final mix. I don’t know if it has any genuine benefit, but it is fun to torment a little face.
I’ve been trying to do more vegetarian cooking, and one of my roommates also doesn’t eat eggs (but it fine with milk and butter, etc). So recently I got to test out a recipe for eggless-cornbread, which turned out pretty well except it was a little dryer than normal, I think.
Baking without eggs is tricky, IMO. There are substitutes, yes, but none of them alone really seem to match all the properties of eggs without other drawbacks.
I’ve found that a flax “egg” works pretty well for keeping things like cakes and quick breads moist. The only major difference I’ve noticed with it is that things come out a bit softer, and it’s noticeable in color if you aren’t already doing something like chocolate or spice cake to mask the brown flecks from the flax. The softness is not a bad thing unless you are trying to make a really fancy tall layer cake, because softer cake won’t support it’s own weight in multiple layers.
I have a couple of these “wacky cake” recipes (e.g., different flavors, such as raisin spice). But none of them have funny instructions, great illustrations, and a punch line. Fabulous! 🙂
Ha, I used to have this cake when I was a kid (my brother and I were allergic to milk, but we grew out of it) and it’s still one of my favourites, we called it Crazy Cake though…
I grew up with a wacky cake recipe too! My family is Ukrainian and my mom got the recipe from my baba. This is the first time I’ve ever encountered someone else who knew what it was (before I told them)! I love you guys even more now!
I’m just trying out your new Quiche recipe (in another comic), which is done in 15 min!
If it goes well, I suppose I’ll give this one a try too. It’s just one of those lazy Sundays again~
This recipe is so perfect! It didn’t get as high as I expected (Maybe caused on the fact that I couldn’t stop myself from eating the dough…?) but I solved the problem by putting slices of bananas and chocolate fudge frosting on it. Oh, and I mixed soy yogurt and oats and choco soy milk as a topping. Not quite planned but tasty! Thank you very much!
We make wacky cake all the time! Haven’t found a better chocolate cake yet :]
wacky cornbread can be made largely with ingredients found at an organic gardening store
Snicker doodle cupcakes are a favorite recipe of mine.
Captain America Shield Cake = Best cake.
Bonus points for all the sadism that went into baking it!
Yeah, it was made originally because other ingredients weren’t available in WWII. My grandmother used to tell me about her mother making it, and gave she all her grand-kids a recipe book filled with the things she cooked when we went over.
I grew up on this cake because my mother is allergic to eggs. I introduced it to my husband who has all kinds of food allergies and now it’s the only cake he’ll eat. SO easy to make!
Did you just make a comic about VEGAN CAKE?!?!?!
…
I love your comic even more now 🙂
I have a similar version from my granny! But if you use hot coffee instead of water and /or bread flour, you get a different texture and a caffeine kick.
Yay! Thanks for putting vegans in a good light! Most of us are really loving and never judge anyone! And this cake sounds yummy! Now I have a new recipe to try!
Exactly, this made me smile.
My Aunt makes this all the time, Smiley face and all… it was kinda spooky.
I LOVE wacky cake! I’ve never met anyone else who calls it that though- out here in Seattle they just call it Vegan Chocolate Cake, which I think kinda takes all the fun out of it.
This was every childhood birthday cake for me.
Yes they are, Vegan man. Yes they are.
I worry that it won’t mix properly (like pockets of flour in the edge), or stick, if you do it that way. Wouldn’t it be better to mix it in a bowl and pour it in a greased pan? (Even though it’s less wacky that way)
I’d like to try it, please reassure me? :3
We’ve made the recipe dozens of times like this and it’s yet to fail us! We just make sure to scrape the edges with a fork really well and get any lumps out. The slices pop out of the pan pretty easily! This is definitely the method of making it if you plan on serving it out of the pan (as depicted in the comic) but you can do it the old fashioned way with a greased pan and separate bowl if you want to pop it out and decorate like a traditional cake. Though, the edges won’t be as crispy, which is my wife’s favorite part!
Thanks, I’ll try it! 😀
I’m literally just going to print this and put it in my recipe binder.
I can’t wait to try making this cake! And it’ll be great to have a go-to recipe for something I can share with vegan friends (as long as I read my ingredients properly)!
I have never seen oil or vinegar included in a cake recipe, but then again, I just spend all day Googling cake recipes, yep, I’m a cake Googler, so I am.
…
But really, I don’t do cakes, and yet those two ingredients seem odd to me.
Oil’s not weird in cake. It’s actually fairly common. Cakes are fattening, so they usually have some form of oil, butter, or shortening in them. Oil’s easiest since it is liquid at room temperature, which makes it easy to mix in without needing to melt it first. Vinegar is a bit weird in a cake, but in this sort of cake, vinegar is what reacts with the baking soda to make the cake rise.
Does the face part actually matter, or is it just a sadistic bonus?
Not in a strict “it has to be a face” way, but it is a universal step in most wacky cake recipes to keep the wet ingredients separate until the final mix. I don’t know if it has any genuine benefit, but it is fun to torment a little face.
Oh my goodness! a cake recipe where I have all the ingredients!
You may have just saved my life.
I’ve been trying to do more vegetarian cooking, and one of my roommates also doesn’t eat eggs (but it fine with milk and butter, etc). So recently I got to test out a recipe for eggless-cornbread, which turned out pretty well except it was a little dryer than normal, I think.
Baking without eggs is tricky, IMO. There are substitutes, yes, but none of them alone really seem to match all the properties of eggs without other drawbacks.
I’ve found that a flax “egg” works pretty well for keeping things like cakes and quick breads moist. The only major difference I’ve noticed with it is that things come out a bit softer, and it’s noticeable in color if you aren’t already doing something like chocolate or spice cake to mask the brown flecks from the flax. The softness is not a bad thing unless you are trying to make a really fancy tall layer cake, because softer cake won’t support it’s own weight in multiple layers.
imo, chia is even better than flax! Either way, they have to NOT be bought sprouted.
You just use 1 tablespoon ground chia for 3 tablespoons warm water, mix well, let sit, and for light coloured recipes, you take white chia! :3
I have a couple of these “wacky cake” recipes (e.g., different flavors, such as raisin spice). But none of them have funny instructions, great illustrations, and a punch line. Fabulous! 🙂
Ha, I used to have this cake when I was a kid (my brother and I were allergic to milk, but we grew out of it) and it’s still one of my favourites, we called it Crazy Cake though…
yeah I am so gonna do this! I love to bake and something like this would be cool to do
I grew up with a wacky cake recipe too! My family is Ukrainian and my mom got the recipe from my baba. This is the first time I’ve ever encountered someone else who knew what it was (before I told them)! I love you guys even more now!
Great now i crave wacky cake. Baking at 3am? Sure why not XD
I’m just trying out your new Quiche recipe (in another comic), which is done in 15 min!
If it goes well, I suppose I’ll give this one a try too. It’s just one of those lazy Sundays again~
This recipe is so perfect! It didn’t get as high as I expected (Maybe caused on the fact that I couldn’t stop myself from eating the dough…?) but I solved the problem by putting slices of bananas and chocolate fudge frosting on it. Oh, and I mixed soy yogurt and oats and choco soy milk as a topping. Not quite planned but tasty! Thank you very much!