Wacky Cake

This cake has been a family favorite for birthday’s for as long as I can remember. When we’re looking for chocolate cake with white frosting, we make this one and if we’re looking for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting we make the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake. It’s always one or the other though.

It gets it’s funny name from the bizarre or “wacky” method in which it’s made. The cake is a simple chocolate cake that happens to also be vegan (unless you choose to use melted butter instead of oil). The dry ingredients get added directly to the pan in which its baked and then you create three wells with a spoon. You pour each of liquid ingredients in the wells you’ve created, pour hot water over everything, and then stir until combined. Weird, right? It reminds me of another favorite vegan dessert of mine, Pumpkin Pudding Cake (Vegan) . It’s so weird and counter-intuitive that you wonder if you’ve just compromised your entire dessert. Let me tell you, you have not.

The white frosting is also really special on this cake. It’s whipped for an entire 10 minutes so it’s the fluffiest, lightest frosting you can imagine. It also has shortening in it which helps achieve the air-y nature. I have a bittersweet relationship with shortening and kind of cringe each time a recipe calls for it. In my hesitance towards it, I’ve made the frosting using all butter. It’s DELICIOUS. However, it’s a little gloop-y and yellow hued rather than white and fluffy. I added the two pictures just below so you can see the difference. The taste though is extra rich and delicious. 

If you’re looking for a quick and crowd pleasing sheet cake for your next birthday party or event, try this. And feel free to add some food coloring to the white frosting if you’re baking with a theme in mind.