Crazy cake is anything but crazy! This cake is so moist and delicious that you will have a hard time resisting just one piece! I remember when my mom gave me this recipe over 30 years ago, when I went away to college.
I liked to bake even back then, and she knew that I would need some good recipes to keep me going. Even back then, I cooked to wind down after a long day at school or work.
I do remember making this cake quite a few times while I was away at school that first year. My roommates liked it and we had friends over to eat quite often. (You know the saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach); well, we had heard that saying and thought that we would try it!
It did seem to work and we had a lot of fun that year at college. And I don’t know if our cooking was that good, or there were just some guys that were hungry, that kept coming back, but our apartment turned out to be a pretty social place.
What Does Vinegar Do In a Cake Recipe?
- Vinegar is a surprisingly common ingredient in baked goods, considering that it has such a sharp flavor.
- But as an acid, vinegar is often included in cake and cookie batters to react with baking soda.
- This starts the chemical reaction needed to produce carbon dioxide and give those batters a lift as they bake.
The thought just ran through my mind – I wonder where my mother got the recipe from? Isn’t it funny how that works. I didn’t use to think about things like that, but I do now. Maybe that means that I am getting old!
I think that this cake is called crazy cake because to tell you the truth, you can just put everything in the bowl, turn it on and mix it for 3 minutes. Then bake the cake and you will be so happy with your results. Maybe it is crazy cake because it is crazy delicious!!
What Ingredients Do I Need For Crazy Cake?
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make this Cake (scroll down for the full recipe):
Cake:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vinegar
- Cocoa
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Salt
Frosting:
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Milk
How Do I Make Crazy Cake?
Here’s the simple steps you’ll follow to make this Cake (scroll down for the full recipe):
Cake:
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and eggs; cream them together.
- Add the vinegar to the milk, it makes it like buttermilk.
- Then add it to the bowl, along with the cocoa, water, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, flour and the salt.
- Mix everything for 3 minutes on medium.
- Bake @ 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes in a 9″ X 13″ cake pan.
- Remove from oven, let cool completely, and then frost.
Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, add the butter, and cream cheese. Cream together.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Add just a little milk to the consistency that you prefer.
So this morning when I started making this cake, I had no idea that I would be giving it to a family in my neighborhood who is very special. Their dad/husband has been fighting cancer for 5 years. And he was finally relieved from his pain.
They started out as a cute little couple who could not have children. So the two of them went to another country to get their daughter that they would adopt.
When they got there, their daughter had a sister, and they couldn’t leave her. Well, just before they got ready to leave, they found out that there was still one more sister. And so they brought home 3 little girls. They have done an amazing job raising them. They have grown into beautiful young women, inside and out.
Tips and Tricks For Crazy Cake:
- Use any kind of frosting that you like and you could also add some little mini chocolate chips, to garnish the cake.
- I promise that you will never know that this Crazy Cake has vinegar in it; it is a fantastic cake.
- You could also substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 of the butter.
- Garnish with some candy canes for the Christmas season.
Now for the rest of the story. When she got home, she found out that she was expecting! Yes, and 8 months later, they had a little boy. Two years later, they had a beautiful little girl making five amazing children. The youngest is 10 and the oldest is 19.
The 19 year old is going on a mission for her church and she leaves the day after her father’s funeral. One neat thing about her mission, is that her father went to Peru on a mission for his church and she too will be going to Peru. What amazing examples of faith and courage. How we love this family, and we wish we could take their pain away. But the only way to take away the pain is to take away the love.
So I invite you today to make a cake for someone and let them know that you love them and that you are thinking about them. Life is short; enjoy every moment. Lots of LOVE to you all.
Here Are a Few Other Cake Recipes For You:
Chocolate Brownie Bottom White Cake
Crazy Cake
Crazy cake is so moist and delicious, and made from scratch. This cake is my husband's favorite. It is a heavier cake and the frosting is light and creamy.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup butter or oil (I use butter)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons vinegar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 ounces of cream cheese
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons of milk (the consistency that you like)
Instructions
Cake:
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter (softened), sugar and eggs; cream them together.
- Add the vinegar to the milk, it makes it like buttermilk.
- Then add it to the bowl, along with the cocoa, water, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, flour and the salt.
- Mix everything for 3 minutes on medium.
- Bake @ 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes in a 9" X 13" cake pan.
- Remove from oven, let cool completely, and then frost.
Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, add the butter, and cream cheese. Cream together.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Add just a little milk to the consistency that you prefer.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 611Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 101mgSodium 593mgCarbohydrates 84gFiber 2gSugar 56gProtein 6g
I was just talking to my husband about Crazy Cake! He had never heard of it! So sweet of you to make this and share it with that family. You are so kind and caring 😉
Thanks. I do love this crazy cake and loved sharing it with this sweet little family.
sounds like a fun cake to make with the grand-kids
come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
It is a fun cake to make with the grand kids. Thank you for coming by and leaving a comment. And for inviting us to your blog.
Have you ever made this recipe into cupcakes instead of a 9×13 cake? Just curious if that would work out or not. If you have done this successfully, does the bake time change? Thank you
I have not made them into cupcakes, but that is a wonderful idea. I think that they would work great. Cupcakes in my oven take around 18-20 minutes if I fill the cups 3/4 full. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Do you use cider vinegar or white vinegar? I have pinned it and plan to make it soon. Thanks for sharing!
That is a great question, thank you for asking! I use white, but you could use either. Enjoy and thank you so much for stopping by.
Can you use buttermilk
Yes, you can; use 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons. Thank you for the question.