Chocolate Cake you CAN NOT mess up!

I've made this cake a bajillion different ways

gluten free

oil free

with beets to make it red velvet

it's already vegan

Ok, so I've made it four ways that I can remember - but I have been making this cake for years and I have honestly never messed it up.  

I mess up a lot by the way.  Especially when I refuse to use measuring devices.   

ANYWAYS, 

this chocolate cake is my go-to-cake and I will never make another chocolate cake recipe again because this one is just so good.  

We are entering birthday season in my house (all 6 kids in four months)

and I made this cake 3 times for two birthdays.

Apparently cupcakes aren't real cake.  3 year old girls I tell ya.  

These are blue raspberry cupcakes that I kept calling Razzamataz Cupcakes for some reason.

They tasted like a slushie - but way better because it's cake.  I just added some raspberry flavour to the icing and threw in some blue colouring.

Boy oh boy were they good - and perfect for a little girl who loves blue!

This was made on Tilly's actual birth date to make up for the cupcakes (sheesh). 

Her favourite colour is "every colour of the rainbow" and this cake was a big hit!

Tilly didn't really complain about the cupcakes, she just said she wished she had a birthday cake.  I told her she did have one, the cupcakes, and she replied with "that's not a real cake!"
If she fussed, or complained or demanded a "real" cake I would have never made another one -
but she didn't, and birthdays are sensitive for me, so I made her a cake.
I think her reaction says it all:

Birthday or not, this cake is easy to make - stays moist for a good few days and is tasty tasty tasty!

With no further adieu...

Crazy Good Chocolate Cake 

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare pan.  This recipe doubles nicely, but single recipe needs to be baked in an 8X8 square pan, 10"round cake pan, or even an 11X7 rectangle pan.  Grease the cake holding vessel lightly, and if using a metal pan grease & flour.  

1 1/4 cups flour (yes - you can use gluten free mix)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Break up any clumps before adding the wet stuff.  Create a little well, exposing the bottom of the bowl.

1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil (you can use applesauce, or melted coconut oil)
1 tsp vinegar

(add up to 1/2 cup of steamed and pureed beets for red velvet)

Add warm water, vanilla, oil and vinegar to dry ingredients.  Mix well.  You can use a hand blender or just good old elbow grease (with a whisk).  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cupcakes take roughly 25 minutes, and adding beets will extend your bake time by 5 minutes or so.  

When I'm making the cake for something fancy (a.k.a. not eating it out of the glass dish while the kids are sleeping) I line the bottom of whatever pan I'm using with parchment so it will flip out of the baking device easily.  

My son wanted a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.  Vegan.  Hilarious request for an 8 year old.
  I just used a fermented soy cream cheese and made the icing like a regular cream cheese icing and it was deeeeee-licious I tells ya.  

PS If you're a fan of using flavours like I am - the BEST combo of this cake is making the icing... banana flavour.  Oh my banana-lovin-brains it's good.  

Happy Baking!