Let Them Eat (Wacky) Cake

This cake has always existed. At least, that's what it feels like.

I have no clear memory of my first bites, but if I was to hazard guess I would assume I was no more than three. It sits at the center of every family dinner, birthday party, or slow Sunday; surrounded by my moms' green-blue pottery mugs filled to the brim with Red Rose tea.

I think my mom loved it for the simplicity: mixed, baked, and served in the same pan. She learned it from her mom - fitness fanatic and aerobics instructor in the 80s - who was big on low-fat, and loved its lack of butter. She learned it from her mom, who learned it from her mom, and so on and so on, back to World War II, when deprivation and food rationing made traditional ingredients scarce. As I said, this cake has always existed.

It goes by many names, War Cake being one of them. But in our house, it was always Wacky Cake. "Wacky," my mom would explain, "due to its lack of butter, milk, or eggs."

"Wacky," my little brother and I would say in response, "Because we're wacky too".

When my mother pushed us towards veganism years ago, this cake slid right along with us; the Depression-era lack of dairy falling nicely into place with our newfound diet. Like most vegan deserts, it's absolutely amazing - no substitutions needed. 

Like all good recipes, there are thousands of variations. Each family has their own methods, their own secrets that have been passed down through the generations. Some newer recipes add egg and butter, but most stick with the tried and true basics; relying on the baking soda and vinegar reaction to allow for a gentle rise.

I've made it for friends throughout university while living on a budget; my dad asks for it every year without fail; my little brother called me on his eighteenth birthday two weeks ago just to brag about being able to eat an entire half of the cake that night because I wasn't there to snag my share.

Here's how to make it:

Wacky Cake - Ingredients + Directions

1.5 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup of white sugar

4 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of cider vinegar

6 of tablespoons oil

1 of cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the dry ingredients into a cake pan - most recipes I've seen floating around call for an 8x8 inch pan, but mom always uses a circular springform pan. Make three small dips in the mixture - pour oil in one, vinegar in the other, and vanilla in the third. Pour the water over the top and combine with a fork. Make sure there are no dry spots and wipe the edges for a cleaner look. Bake for 30–45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool, then serve straight from the dish.

It freezes well for up to a month, but will most likely be eaten in its entirety the night it is served (and if not, it's perfect on rainy mornings with a steaming mug of coffee - my favourite day-after-birthday treat).

Best of all? The opportunities for individualization are endless: Omit cocoa for a plain white cake; add grated apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the fall; replace water with brewed coffee or add chocolate chips. Bake two or three cakes, then stack together with an almond milk and icing sugar mixture layered in between. Pour into muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes. Or, simply sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy as is.

Best served with coffee, black, and a conversation with mom.