Dairy Free Eggless Chocolate Cake

 

It was a good friend's birthday today and it being a really crazy day/week, it didn't even occur to me that I should bake her a cake! Since her kids are allergic to many things, and they are strictly vegetarian (no eggs, too) store-bought cakes are not an option. So their only options are cakes that she bakes.

I keep forwarding her dairy-free eggless recipes that I chance upon and I had come across this particular recipe a few days back! This and a Dairy Free Eggless Vanilla Cake which I plan to make within a few days.

Better late than never,  at 6:20 pm, I started baking this cake. I was done baking and taking photos by 7:15pm.

 By the time I was done baking, she had already messaged me to say that she tried out this 'Crazy Cake' recipe. It was so funny that we used the exact same recipe! She had just switched out the water with orange juice (I plan to steal the idea) and I had added coffee granules to heighten the chocolaty flavor.

This goes by the names Crazy or Wacky or Depression Cake! The fact that it is dairy free and eggless and was baked in the same pan that it was mixed in made it very popular indeed! Not to mention it takes less than 45 minutes from start to finish!

 

 

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour - 1 1/2 Cups
• Cocoa Powder - 3 tbsp, unsweetened and good quality
• Sugar - 1 Cup
• Instant Coffee Granules - 1/2 tsp
• Baking Soda - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 5 tbsp
• Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
• Water 1 Cup
• White Vinegar - 1 tsp

 

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake it on the middle rack.

 

Here's what I did following the 'Wacky' or 'Depression Cake method. Do grease your pan with butter if you plan to use the same pan to bake your cake in. I wanted mine to look a little fancy since I wasn't going to add any frosting to it so used a well greased and floured Bundt Pan. A 8-inch square or round pan will work just fine.

 

Whisk together the dry ingredients in the pan - AP flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, sugar and coffee granules.

 

Make wells or depressions in the flour-mix - 2 small ones for the vinegar and vanilla essence and one largish one for oil. Pour in the vinegar, vanilla essence and oil into the wells/depressions. Pour water into it and mix gently till smooth. I used a rubber spatula. It was easier to scrape and mix with it. Be careful not to over-mix.

 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes till done. Insert a toothpick in the middle to check for done-ness - if it comes clean, it is done!

 

It turned out to be very flavorful and moist. I dusted the cake with little powdered sugar and cocoa powder due to dietary restrictions. Next time, I am going to pour some ganache over it. You can top it with your favorite frosting.