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Vanilla Crazy Cake

This one-pan, super easy, and delicious Vanilla Crazy Cake needs no eggs or milk. You don’t even need a bowl, simply mix everything right in the baking dish!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 9
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup water cold
TO MAKE VANILLA FROSTING:
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla clear vanilla, if you have it
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup milk or more if needed for desired consistency

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In an UNGREASED 9×9-inch pan add the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using a whisk stir together the ingredients right in the pan to kind of sift it all together.
  3. Next using your fingers or a spoon make a good sized well in the middle and two smaller wells one on each side of the center well.
  4. Place the vegetable oil in the center well.
  5. Place the vinegar in a small well and the vanilla in the other small well.
  6. Pour the cold water over all of the ingredients.
  7. Using the whisk, stir until combined. You can also use a spoon to get into the corners and further mix until smooth. If there are bubbles in your batter, gently tap the pan on the countertop to release the bubbles.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool completely before serving.
  9. Ice with frosting or powdered sugar or plain.

Notes

Place the melted butter in a medium mixing bowl. Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk. Using a mixer, mix together until smooth. May need additional milk to reach desired consistency. Beat for 2-3 minutes scraping down the sides intermittently.
Recipe for both cake and frosting can be easily doubled for a 9×13 plan.
TIP: If using an 8×8 pan, increase cooking time by 3-6 minutes as the cake will be thicker.
TIP: The vinegar is a must in this recipe, it reacts with the baking soda to give the cake the desired texture, doing the work eggs would do in other recipes.
The cake does not come out tasting like vinegar!
TIP: If there are bubbles in your wet batter, gently tap your cake pan on the counter to release the bubbles.
TIP:Keep a close eye on the cake at the 30-minute mark as you don’t want to overbake it.