Sometimes you just need a cake or cupcakes, and this recipe is a perfect opportunity to make your own without any highly refined, additive-and- preservative-laced boxed mixes.
This cake has many great features. It mixes up in one bowl, doesn’t require eggs or butter, and it’s quick: ideal if you have company coming and don’t have much time to prepare, or if your kid forgot to tell you they need a cake until eight in the evening. It works for either a cake or cupcakes, and it’s also good with or without a little icing.
Cocoa Cake
This cocoa cake mixes up in one bowl, doesn’t require eggs or butter, and it’s quick. Can be made with or without icing. You can bake it as a dozen cupcakes or one 9″ cake.
- 1½ cups unsifted all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa (unsweetened—not cocoa mix)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar (white or cider)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional icing
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
Baking preparation
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees
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Grease and flour 9″ cake pan or put cupcake wrappers in cupcake pan (12)
Mix batter
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In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
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Add water, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla.
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Beat until smooth and thoroughly blended (by mixer or hand).
Baking Method – choose one
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For cake: bake at 350 for 35—40 minutes or until cake tester (e.g. toothpick) comes out clean.
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For cupcakes: bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Optional icing
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After removing from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over cake or cupcakes
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Let sit about 10 minutes to melt
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Spread over cake with small metal spatula
