"These cakes were created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were very hard to come by. The cakes are also known as Depression Cakes. People were pretty resourceful during those hard times. It took some creativity and baking science to create a cake without eggs or butter. You don't even need a mixer. Genius!" ~Mary via http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com
Ingredients:
- 1 cup GF flour blend (I use Wendy Wark's)
- 1/2 cup Sorghum flour
- 3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
- 1 Cup sugar (All purchase sugar - Granulated Pure Cane Sugar)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Cup water (sometimes I add 1/2 tsp of instant decaf for depth of flavor)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.
Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting. Enjoy!
Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.
Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting. Enjoy!
Note: Oven cooking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.
My note: This recipe is pretty versatile you can make it mocha by using coffee instead of water, or different flavor extracts to change up the tastes, add spices or zest for more variety. For a full list of Mary's variations see original recipe.
This cake was developed by Mary of sweetlittlebluebird.com and I just changed up the flour blend to make it GF.
FROSTING
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter or GF/DF butter flavored shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 to 6 tablespoons dairy free creamer or coconut milk fat
- pinch of salt (optional)
Directions:
- Place chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until smooth OR melt in small sauce pan with 1 TBL of creamer. Stir constantly until melted, remove immediately from heat. Combine powdered sugar, salt, melted chocolate, shortening and vanilla in mixing bowl. Slowly blend in milk to desired consistency. Beat on high 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Variations:
- MOCHA FROSTING: Follow the recipe above, substituting 1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water for 1 tablespoon of milk.
- PEANUT BUTTER CUP FROSTING: Follow the recipe above, adding in 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter.
- Frosting recipe originally pulled from Pillsbury.com.
