Desserts
20120914-222550-mocha-wacky-cake.jpg

[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]

There's everything to like about this emergency cake: moist, chocolatey, and mixed right in the pan.

About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore as a freelance writer for Time Out Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter

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About This Recipe

Yield: serves 9
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Special equipment: 9- by 9-inch cake pan
This recipe appears in: Chocoholic: Mocha Wacky Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup (2 ounces) cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 4 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting

Procedures

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350&degF. Grease 9- by 9-inch cake pan with butter.

  2. Place flour, cocoa, brown sugar, granulated sugar, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt in pan. Stir until completely combined. Make a 4-inch crater in the center of the flour mixture.

  3. Pour the oil, vinegar, and flour mixture into the crater. Stir to completely combine (there still may be a few small lumps). Wipe inside edge of extra flour/batter.

  4. Bake until center is just firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.