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Lemon Squares
Dena Kleiman, Susan Mahnke Peery
2029 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
2,029
1 hour
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Heat oven to 325 degrees. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to an 8-by-8-inch square glass or metal baking dish. Whisk the mixture together until uniform in color. Use your fingers to break apart any lumps.
Add 1 cup water along with the oil, vanilla extract and vinegar. Stir slowly with a fork or a whisk in small circles to blend. Mash, scrape and stir with a fork and spoon until the mixture becomes a smooth and uniform batter.
Scrape the sides of the baking dish with a rubber spatula and spread the batter in an even layer. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using.
Use a damp paper towel to wipe the edges of the baking dish clean. Carefully transfer the dish to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the batter comes out mostly clean, 28 to 33 minutes. (Instead of looking like you dipped the toothpick in chocolate frosting, it should look like it has some chocolate cake crumbs clinging to it.)
Remove from the oven, let cool, then cut the cake into squares. If you’re feeling fancy, this tastes good (and looks pretty) with some confectioners’ sugar dusted on top.
I know this recipe as Wacky Cake. There's also easy variations on it. Double the recipe, put it in round 9" pans and it makes a wonderful layer cake with any kind of frosting (make in mixing bowl and grease pans first). Swap out the chocolate for an extra teaspoon or two of vanilla, and you have an excellent white/vanilla cake. I use this when I make strawberry shortcake. For a spice cake, omit chocolate and throw in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove.
I've been making this "Wacky Cake" for decades. It's a lot easier to whisk it up in a bowl and pour it into the cake pan, IMHO.
As others have noted, this is a variation of Wacky Cake or Crazy Cake. It is tasty and easy to put together. The recipe doubles easily, and can be made in a 13x9 pan. Instead of 1 cup water, we often use one-half cup water and one-half cup strong coffee. The coffee adds a nice layer of flavor to the chocolate.
A version of this that I clipped years ago used Grand Marnier for some of the liquid - that's quite tasty. Also, you can use a deeper flavored vinegar, such as a good balsamic, and that's mighty good, too.
I added @1/2 tsp of instant espresso powder for depth of flavor. Add it, if you have it.
I'm in my 80's now and I was in 7th grade the first time I made this cake, and yes I agree that is was popular during wartime because of the shortage of eggs, butter, etc in baking.
I made this yesterday with my four-year-old son today for his birthday, and we both loved it! He was able to make the entire thing with minimal help--which thrilled him. The cake was moist and chocolatey and tender--as promised. Best of all, since there's no raw egg, it was fine to let him indulge in a little batter. Total keeper. (BONUS: we made a second batch of batter into 24 mini cupcakes for his class party, and they domed perfectly. 16 positive pre-school reviews! )
I've been making this WWII recipe since I found it almost 50 yrs ago. Note the better quality the cocoa you use, the better this cake will taste! It's a dead ringer for Just Desserts Bakery's Black Bottom Cupcakes: 1 recipe = 10-12 std-size cupcakes. Soften one 3-oz pkg cream cheese, mix with 1/3 cup mini-chocolate chips. Drop 1 Tblsp of it in center of each cupcake before baking. Do NOT overbake; in 350-degree oven takes 18-20 min to bake. Remove immediately to cooling racks. Can be frozen.
THis recipe was in Peg Bracken's book "I Hate to Cook" which I've used for about 50 yrs.
Does anyone happen to know if the all purpose flour can be substituted with a gluten-free flour? I always wonder this when I see a good cake recipe. Thank you so much for any tips.
This used to be known as "Wacky Cake" back in about 1970. The method we used was to make three indentations in the dry ingredients, and put the oil in one, water in another, and vinegar in the third. It was fun to do, as teenagers, and I guess that's what made it "wacky".
Making this with coffee does make it much tastier. But I learned, the hard way, to use decaf if feeding the cake to small children!
This us honestly one of my favorite cakes. And fun fact, I used to make this cake when I was a kid.. fast forward, my now 16 year old has been making it for about 10 years.
We've done this cake for years - mostly we add cinnamon to it and call it a chocolate Mexican cake. Always good, always easy and fast! Thank you for having it here. I might have to go make it tonight!
The acid in the vinegar helps to activate the soda for a fluffier cake. Can also use it in milk (one tsp in one cup milk) if a recipe calls out buttermilk and you don't have it. (I use it for "buttermilk" pancakes)
I have made wacky cake for years; it’s great for people who can’t have dairy. And I have made it with gluten-free flour (King Arthur Measure For Measure flour), and it turns out just fine. You can also mix in a bowl and bake as cupcakes, reducing the baking time.
I made this with Bob’s gluten-free 1-1 flour and used half cup of coffee instead of water as suggested. It’s very tasty but a bit gummy. Maybe it needs to cook a bit longer than 31-32 minutes?
Decades ago I modified this to sweeten with maple syrup instead of white sugar. Took several tries to get the ratio right because maple syrup is sweeter than white sugar & you have to reduce the water. Now you can just Google it: use 3/4 c maple syrup & about 7/8 c water.
This has been our family's go-to celebration cake for 60 years or more. I substitute applesauce for the oil and it's even better.
Also known as Depression Cake and Topsy Turvey Cake. Good dessert for vegans.
I have also been making this cake for about 50 years. It was given to me by a friend and we call it the volcano cake because of the baking soda and vinegar which are classic ingredients of grade school science projects with erupting volcanos. My grandchildren request it all the time. I just made it last week.
This is the exact same recipe as NY Times Amazon Cake I have been making for 22 yrs. And even that recipe is credited as an adaptation from a cook book published in 1984. This recipe is ubiquitous, glad a new generation of bakers is learning about it. I agree that the higher the quality of cocoa powder the more flavorful the cake. Hands down the best/moist/textured/mouth feel chocolate cake you’ll ever make! And it’s vegan.
I've been making this cake with a different name for years. It's excellent, but if you swap out the water, or at least half of the water, for strong, freshly brewed coffee, it takes it over the top. Also, I mix in a bowl. I think we've all gone overboard about not wanting to dirty one bowl.
With Gretchen from 5 years ago: this is Wacky Cake. A WWII rationing favorite…no butter, no eggs. No better chocolate cake ever.
We called it Crazy Chocolate Cake. My mom who would have been 105 yrs use to make it all the time when I was a kid. I always thought it was a cake that was made in during the Depression since it does not have eggs.
I made this Wacky Cake for a demo speech in HS in the 60’s. Topped the just out of the oven cake with mini marshmallows and a ton of chocolate chips and spread it around, as they melted, for a fudge frosting.
Great recipe. Easy to make and one of our favorites. Perfect with Enjoy life chocolate chunks. I use some in the batter and then more on top. I call this a snacking cake or depression cake
a hit, and very little work. Maybe better than the Ghirardelli brownie mix.
This is a delicious, moist, easy to make chocolate fudge cake. Instead of neutral oil, I used coconut oil as I have a big container of it and really like the slight nuanced coconut taste it gives food. Since the coconut oil is semi-solid, I first melted it in microwave very gently. The cake also lasts for several days covered with Saran Wrap on the counter. I toasted some pecans to sprinkle on top with whipped cream, berries or ice cream.
Replace the cup of water with Guinness Stout, taste, then thank me.
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