Servings: 8

Cooking spray Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup cooled coffee or milk, regular or dairy-free 1 cup cooled coffee or milk, regular or dairy-free
1 tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar 1 tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit, or a combination ½ cup chocolate chips or dried fruit, or a combination
Powdered sugar or 2 cups frosting (optional) Powdered sugar or 2 cups frosting (optional)

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the coffee or milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir batter until smooth; it will be thin. Add the chocolate chips and dried fruit if using and stir to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or finish with your favorite frosting if desired.

What Is Crazy (or Wacky) Cake?  What Is Crazy (or Wacky) Cake?
This cake, which seems to date from the late '30s or early '40s and also goes by the name "wacky cake," doesn't use eggs or dairy. And you'd never know it.  This cake, which seems to date from the late '30s or early '40s and also goes by the name "wacky cake," doesn't use eggs or dairy. And you'd never know it.
It bakes up moist and tender, thanks to a combination of baking soda and vinegar, without any of the heaviness that often occurs in egg-free cakes. The texture reminds me of the classic comfort of boxed cake mix in the best possible way.  It bakes up moist and tender, thanks to a combination of baking soda and vinegar, without any of the heaviness that often occurs in egg-free cakes. The texture reminds me of the classic comfort of boxed cake mix in the best possible way.
It's a perfect dessert to make for last-minute guests or for those times when you crave a slice of cake, but don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  It's a perfect dessert to make for last-minute guests or for those times when you crave a slice of cake, but don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Use the best cocoa powder (here's how to tell!).  Use the best cocoa powder (here's how to tell!).
There's only a 1/4 cup of cocoa powder — Dutch or natural, both work — in the recipe. To make sure the cake has a nice chocolate kick, use a high-quality cocoa powder.  There's only a ¼ cup of cocoa powder - Dutch or natural, both work - in the recipe. To make sure the cake has a nice chocolate kick, use a high-quality cocoa powder.
Pro tip: An easy way to tell the quality of a cocoa powder is by checking the fat content listed in the nutritional label. The higher the fat, the better the flavor. You want at least one gram of fat for each five-gram serving.  Pro tip: An easy way to tell the quality of a cocoa powder is by checking the fat content listed in the nutritional label. The higher the fat, the better the flavor. You want at least one gram of fat for each five-gram serving.
This Is Why Your Recipe Uses Cocoa Powder Instead of Chocolate  This Is Why Your Recipe Uses Cocoa Powder Instead of Chocolate
* Coffee will make the chocolate more intense.  * Coffee will make the chocolate more intense.
In baked goods, coffee has the magical ability to make chocolate taste more intense. For this recipe, use a cup of cooled coffee. If you don't want to use coffee, use milk (a dairy-free milk is fine). The original recipe for crazy cake use water, not coffee or milk, but water leads to a flat-tasting cake.  In baked goods, coffee has the magical ability to make chocolate taste more intense. For this recipe, use a cup of cooled coffee. If you don't want to use coffee, use milk (a dairy-free milk is fine). The original recipe for crazy cake use water, not coffee or milk, but water leads to a flat-tasting cake.