BakeNQuilt.com

Microwave Chocolate
Crazy/Wacky Cake

Yield:9 servings
Crazy cake, or Wacky cake, has been around for a long time. It's a frugal cake, both in effort and ingredients. It contains no eggs, which means that it can be made usually from what's already in the cupboard. The cake is mixed up in the pan in which it is baked, meaning less dishes! This cake is surprisingly moist and tender. As a bonus, the cake is made in the microwave which makes it great for a summer dessert. The recipe was adapted from 365 Great Chocolate Recipes by Nathalie Houghton.

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
3 tbsp unsw. cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
1 tsp baking soda
scant 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp cider or raspberry vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cold water
1/4 tsp espresso powder (optional)

1. If you're using the espresso powder, place it in the measuring cup with 1 tbsp hot water to let it dissolve. In an ungreased 8 x 8 inch microwave-safe glass baking dish, mix together flour, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Make 3 holes (1 large, 1 med, 1 sm) in the mixture. Add oil to the large hole, vinegar to the medium hole, and 2 tsp vanilla to the small hole. Add cold water to the espresso mixture to make 1 cup. Pour water and espresso mixture over all. Stir well with a fork or whisk to blend. Scrape down the sides and corners of the dish with a rubber spatula.

2. Cook in a microwave oven on 50% power for 4 minutes, turning dish twice during cooking time. Then cook on full power about 2 to 4 minutes, or until done (check frequently). Do not overcook (see note).

3. If desired, sprinkle the hot cake with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or chopped Andes mints. Let sit for a couple mintues to soften the chips, then spread the melted chips gently over the cake to form a frosting. If desired, let the cake cool entirely and frost with your favorite frosting.

Notes: Cook the cake until the top looks "baked" and the center no longer looked like a pool of batter. The edges will cook first and the center will cook last. In the last minute or two of cooking, you should be able to smell the lovely cake aroma. My microwave is a couple years old, so an older, less powerful model might take longer and a newer one may take less time. Also, I have a turntable so I didn't have to manually rotate the pan. This cake is best if not overbaked, so start checking after 2 minutes on high and check it every extra 30 seconds or so after that Once you know how long it takes in your microwave, make a note of it for the next time!