I will attempt to write it here from memory now, but I have the recipe card just in case.
I remember making this cake ALOT, and it was easy to do because I just mixed it up in the cake pan. Michael and I would make roads and holes and hills, and when we added the liquid ingredients to mix in, the roads and holes became rivers and lakes! The hills sometimes turned into volcanoes and erupted, spilling lava down to the rivers. It was great fun, so the recipe was easy to remember.
When I was in Kindergarten, Mom came home from Parent/Teacher Conferences and said that my teacher, Mrs Combs had not believed me when I said I'd made a cake the night before. I then recited the entire recipe for her! I guess she had to double check with Mom about the recipe, because she couldn't write it down as quickly as I said it! Ha. She just didn't believe me!
-Donna Joy Hendrickson
daughter of Maurice and Marie Miller
(Now to see how my memory is 40+ years later!)
Wacky Cake
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 tbsp Cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
(YES! So far so good...)
2 cups water
2 tsp vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
(Okay, I only messed up on the vinegar. I knew something was 3/4 cup, but it sure wasn't the vinegar! :-+ Oh, I'd also only written 1/3 cup oil...wouldn't do so good on a test, would I?)
Mix all dry ingredients in the cake pan.
Don't forget to make roads and hills!
Mix liquid ingredients in a pitcher, then pour into cake pan and mix well.
Tap the pan to get rid of bubbles, and wipe the edges clean.
(I guess we were messy!)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
This recipe will make 2 and 1/2 dozen cupcakes.
Bake cupcakes 20 to 25 minutes.
Now, this Wacky Cake was not complete without the fudge frosting on top!
Fudge Frosting
Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp Karo syrup
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
Cook to a soft ball: sugar, cocoa, salt, Karo syrup, and milk.
Cool. Add butter and vanilla.
*Note: That was all that the recipe card said, but...
We cooled the first part by placing the hot pan in a larger pan or bowl with cold water. Changing the water often, or keeping the cool water running into the outer pan/bowl.
Tip fudge pan away from running water, being careful not to let any water get into the fudge. We had to stir this vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon. Then add the butter and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. When it starts to stiffen, pour on top of cooled cake, and spread out.
You can make fancy swirls too! If you wait too long to pour, the frosting will clump up really stiff all in the center of the cake! It still tasted good, but didn't look so pretty.
