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This recipe for Chocolate Cake was given to me by my mother, who has been using it ever since I can remember. I think it could easily date back to The Great Depression, as it uses no dairy or eggs and relies only on the reaction of baking soda and vinegar for it's leavening.
I have used it many times and found it perfect for any shape or size of cake, as it can be doubled easily. Makes 2 thin, 9" round cakes, one thick 8" x 8" square or about 14 cupcakes.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp. cocoa
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
Sift together.
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Combine and add to above and then mix until blended.
Pour into floured, greased cake pan lined with parchment, or into paper cups.
Bake for 35–40 minutes for cake, 20–25 minutes for cupcakes.
Allow to cool and ice as desired.
Note: I always top my cakes with real butter cream icing and it makes it just that much better. Butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla and a drop of milk. Check the Wilton website for exact measurements. (Their recipe also calls for shortening, but I use ALL butter!)
"In times like these,"... My husband and I wish we had a dollar for every time we have heard this or similar phrases in the last while, for our own recession woes would be over. (Actually, we wanted to make it into a drinking game, however it seemed that we often heard this phrase as we were driving in the car and that made it logistically difficult.)
I digress.
When people need to reassess their lifestyle and how they spend their money, they often look to the basics. Spending $20 to $30 on a delivery or take-out pizza is out of the question, so finding other ways to fill the gap become a necessity. I drummed up my old college stand-by pizza dough recipe, (or should I say "flatbread" as it is referred to now).
Toppings are entirely up to what you have in the fridge or pantry. My sister even puts broccoli on hers.
- 1 cup water
- 1 package dry active instant yeast, or about 1 tbsp.
Mix together.
Dissolve into yeast and water mixture.
- 2½ cup flour
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Add to above and knead well by hand (or combine in Cuisinart or KitchenAid mixer) until shiny.
Place in bowl and allow to rise for 40 minutes.
Spread out onto pizza pan. Drizzle oil, basil, oregano, salt & pepper and Parmesan cheese over top. Bake for 20 minutes at 450°F, or until golden brown.
Add desired toppings and re-bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 450°F, then broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Notes: When using vegetables with high-water content (mushrooms, peppers) keep them diced small or thin to avoid a soggy pizza. When using tomatoes, I either use pre-caramelized tomatoes, or remove the seeds altogether.
Also, nice touch if you have a pizza pan with no venting holes in it is to sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on the pan before you spread the dough out. This adds a nice tooth to the crust and helps the pizza from sticking.
