This recipe is a little unconventional for a cake. A gal that I worked with had children that were allergic to eggs. This cake does not require any eggs. So it was a perfect treat for the kids. Who doesn't love chocolate cake with creamy marshmallow frosting? This cake must be prepared in a glass 9X13 baking dish and when mixing you need to use a rubber spatula. Because of the acidic ingredients, using any metal will change the compounds components. So don't forget "NO" metal pans or tools.
I looked up the history of this cake and found that it probably started during the rationing of WWII, when milk and eggs were scarce. This cake had many names like wacky cake, crazy cake...etc. The active ingredients in Crazy cake include flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, vegetable oil, white vinegar, salt and vanilla extract. The eggless batter means that the structure of the cake is entirely supported by gluten, which is strengthened by the acidic vinegar and salt...Wikopedia.
Ermine frosting first began appearing in public as partner to the Mahogany cake, aka America's first chocolate cake in the 1800s, per The Kitchn. Named after the snow white animal, ermine, per MasterClass, the frosting was popular with bakers not only because it didn't need plenty of sugar for it to taste good, but because it was rich, smooth, creamy, and tasty. It was, in short, everything a good frosting ought to be, without the effort needed to generate other more stable buttercream frostings like German, or Swiss, the former of which takes a custard base, and the latter, one made with meringue and melted sugar. This article appeared on The Tasting Table website.
So when you are looking for a quick, easy, inexpensive, yummy treat, this cake and frosting are the best!
Crazy Cake and Crazy Cupcakes...
You can also make Crazy Cake Cupcakes. Follow the same instructions as Crazy Cake, but mix in a glass bowl instead of a glass 9X13 glass cake pan. Follow the same instructions for the cake. Fill cupcake liners and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes for doneness.
There are a few things to keep in mind when making this recipe.
- Only use a "glass" 9X13 cake pan. (Glass is non-reactive)
- Do not use any metal utensils and yes, you have to mix by hand
Ingredients:
- 3 C. flour
- 2 C. sugar
- 6 T. cocoa
- 1 1/2 tsp. soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2/3 C. oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp. vinegar
- 2 C. water
Instructions:
- Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt in a bowl. Then sift again into the cake pan (do not grease). Then sift again into the bowl and one more time into glass cake pan.
- After sifting 4 times, make 3 wells in mixture in cake pan.
- Add the vanilla into one of the wells, the vinegar in the second well and the oil in the third well. The oil will spill over and that's just fine.
- Pour the water around the edges and mix with rubber spatula until thoroughly mixed like a cake mix.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until toothpick
inserted in cake comes out clean.
How to make a Crazy Cake
Sift dry ingredients 4 times from bowl to ungreased glass cake pan. After sifting dry ingredients, make 3 wells in mixture.
Add vanilla into one of the wells. Add vinegar into second well and add oil in the third well. The oil will spill over...that's ok. Pour the water around the outside of the wells and start mixing with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. That's it! This cake is very moist and so delicious. For those people who can't tolerate eggs, it's a good substitute for regular cake mixes.
Marshmallow Frosting a.k.a. Ermine Frosting
Marshmallow Frosting (Ermine Frosting)
- 5 T. Flour
- 1 C. milk
- 1/2 C. butter or margarine
- 1/2 C. shortening
- 1 C. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions:
- Whisk the milk and flour in a saucepan on stove.
- Cook until it becomes a pasty substance (like paste or glue)...LOL
- Take off heat and cool in refrigerator. (Cover with plastic wrap, so no skin forms)
- Make sure it is cold to the touch before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
- After the paste has cooled combine the sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla and paste and beat for at least 5 minutes.
- Spread on cake
How to make marshmallow frosting
Make a thin paste out of flour and milk and cook on stove until it becomes a thick paste. After you have created the paste, cover with plastic wrap so a skin doesn't form and place in refrigerator until cold.
Add remaining ingredients and beat for at least 5 minutes...Viola' the frosting is ready to frost the cake. It's creamy and marshmallowie...if there is such a word. It's the best!
One Final Thought...
These days desserts can be expensive whether buying a finished dessert from the grocery store or bakery or making it yourself. This dessert is inexpensive to make and takes about 30 minutes to complete...not including baking and waiting time. If you have never had a crazy cake before, I think you will be totally surprised at how good it really is!
Vanilla Crazy Cake 
Always remember..."Life's short...eat dessert first!"...words to live by!