Wacky Cake: Baking as a Magic Show

Wacky Cake is the culinary equivalent of a magic trick.  Improbable, unusual and impressive -- and it shakes up your belief in reality:  How in the heck can it possibly work?  It defies all baking logic and especially that troubling belief  that "baking is a science."

This is a cake that anyone cake make and is especially fun to make with children.  The dry ingredients are placed in the baking pan and then three holes are "dug"  -- one for vinegar, one for melted butter, and one for vanilla.  Everything is then mixed in the baking pan -- you needn't dirty even one bowl!

I found this recipe in Olive Facey's collection. I suspect Wacky Cake was invented in 1954 when a mad scientist, a fourth grader and Peg Bracken (author of the I Hate to Cook Book) were locked in a kitchen together -- it's that wacky.  And it's really pretty good, chocolate-y with a moist crumb.  Who knew? Magic is a wonderful thing sometimes.

Sift the dry ingredients together (above) then place in an 8 inch square baking pan, and create three holes.

Pour melted butter, vinegar and vanilla in each of the holes.

Pour water over the baking pan, mix together and pop in the oven.