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It's Called "Crazy Cake" and You Need Some

10/30/2014

1 Comment

 
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It's unclear where the name comes from, but the word on the street is that this recipe spun out of the Great Depression when food was scarce and luxuries like eggs, milk and butter where hard to come by. But whatever the true provenance, this recipe is without doubt the easiest, most delicious, moist, versatile allergy-friendly way to bake. (We use it for cakes and cupcakes, too.) And, apparently it works perfectly with gluten-free cake flour mixes too. Personally, I think it should be called Magic Cake instead of Crazy Cake but who am I to change a cake's name? You can make the chocolate version, explained below, or a vanilla version, pictured left in cupcake form. For this, simply omit the cocoa powder from the same recipe and triple the amount of vanilla.
Another delicious option is to omit the cocoa and add a 2 tablespoons of cinnamon instead. Or try substituting 1 tablespoon of lemon extract and the rind of 1 lemon for a bright, delicious citrus taste. However you make it, you're sure to enjoy it and your kids can have a great time mixing this up with you in minutes.


Here's how to whip up an amazing Crazy Cake:

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp.  salt
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp.  pure vanilla extract
  • 5 tbsp. vegetable oil 
  • 1 cup of water 

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Sift flour into a bowl, add other dry ingredients. Then mix in  all wet ingredients.
3) Pour batter into a greased 8" cake pan, or muffin cups.
4) Bake 30-35 mins, and let cool before frosting and serving.
Enjoy!


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1 Comment
Kelley
12/12/2014 12:45:06 pm

Love this recipe and have been using it for years. I love to use different liquids instead of water. Orange juice makes it almost a mousse. I've also dropped jam into the batter before baking cupcakes. So many ways to play with it and get creative.

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    About the Author

    I'm Lorraine Allen, and when our daughter was diagnosed with multiple severe food allergies in infancy, a decade ago, I decided to freelance from home so that I could also care and cook for her. Because I grew up all around the world, it's important to me that she be able to enjoy all sorts of international food.  I've learned, throughout this process, that even a large number of severe allergies and restrictions does not stop a person from eating well. On the contrary, by forcing us to focus so much attention on what we consume, we've gained a whole new appreciation for good food, and ironically, we all enjoy a healthier diet than before this diagnosis. This site is where we share some of our delicious egg-free, nut-free, shellfish-free (and often vegan and gluten-free) experiments and successes in the kitchen. Guten Appetit and thanks for reading!

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