Cake-Pan Chocolate Cake

I had printed this recipe from King Arthur's website a while ago and just found it when I was organizing my files. My husband requested brownies for a late evening dessert but I wanted something lighter. And I didn't want to create many dishes or use my mixer or stove. This cake fit the requirements. You can mix all of the ingredients directly in the baking pan and no mixer! (although next time I'll probably mix in a separate bowl). The recipe even recommends eating the cake right out of the pan.

It was an easy recipe but the simplicity compromises the texture and flavor. It's a chocolate cake but doesn't have an intensely chocolate flavor or delicate crumb, by any means. But it was still good. Actually, it was a comforting cake. And I think it tasted even better the next day. And of course, leftover vanilla buttercream made it wonderful. Continue for recipe.


Cake-Pan Chocolate Cake
King Arthur Flour

1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon vinegar
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup cold water (original recipe), coffee (next inspiration), milk (later inspiration), or 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup rum (latest inspiration)

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Measure all the dry ingredients into an 8 or 9-inch round or square cake pan. Blend these together thoroughly with a fork and scoop out three holes, or indentations. (It's just as easy to mix this in a bowl also.)

Pour the vanilla into the first hole, the vinegar into the second, and the vegetable oil into the third.

Take the cup of cold liquid (water, coffee, milk, etc.) and pour it directly over everything in the pan. Stir all the ingredients together with your fork until they are well blended.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve right from the pan; warm from the oven, this Cake-Pan Cake is wonderful with a big glass of milk (skim, of course!)

This recipe reprinted from King Arthur Flour's Baking Sheet, Vol. II, No. 5, March, 1991.