What Makes Wacky Cake “Wacky”?

This vegan chocolate cake goes by many names. Wacky cake. Depression Cake. King Arthur Flour calls it a “Cake Pan Cake.” Mainly because you can mix all the ingredients in the pan and bake it. No extra bowls needed. No matter what you call it, it tastes amazing.

I learned to make this gluten free wacky cake from my mother in law. Who in turn learned to make it from HER mother in law. Since we have no offspring, I guess this makes you all my children, and you’re learning it from me!

What Gluten Free Flour Do You Use in This Cake?

The first time I made this, I used King Arthur Flour’s Measure for Measure gluten free flour blend. Since then, I’ve switched to Cup 4 Cup, which is now dairy free and free from the top 9 allergens. It contains a higher proportion of starch than most other flours. Therefore, I find it to be more like “cake flour.”

Now I will admit the top of my cake always looks bubbly like this, and is a bit tacky. I even reduced the amount of oil that my mother-in-law uses. She uses 1/3 cup of oil in her cake, and I use 1/4 cup. However, the whole thing gets covered in a pourable frosting, and it all still tastes amazing.

What Frosting is on this Gluten Free Wacky Cake?

I will confess that I lack expert skill in making the one minute boiled chocolate frosting my mother in law uses. It was grainy. Or too soft. Or too hard. Ironically, my husband says in the 40+ years he’s been eating it, his mom has made the frosting all those ways, and more. So don’t feel bad if you try it and it’s not perfect.

However, I make it easier on myself and make a chocolate ganache as a topping instead. It’s a simple 1:1 recipe, by weight. Use 3/4 of cream, and 1 cup of chocolate chips. If you need to keep it dairy free, you can use canned coconut CREAM. (not milk) As for dairy free chocolate chips, use Enjoy Life Foods or Guittard’s extra dark dairy free chocolate chips.

Egg Free and Dairy Free Substitutions

As previously mentioned, this gluten free wacky cake contains no eggs or dairy as written. Mom’s original recipe for the boiled chocolate frosting calls for dairy and milk. Feel free to use those if your body tolerates dairy.

This cake is free from the other top 9 allergens, if you use an oil that is soy free. It would make a great dessert to serve with one of these Top 9 Allergen Free Dinner recipes. Visit the Allergylicious website to learn about egg substitutes. Go Dairy Free shares great tips on substituting dairy.

More Gluten Free & Egg Free Cakes

These box-mixed-based gluten free vegan Lemon cupcakes from Allergy Awesomeness will make every mouth happy. This Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake from Allergylicious works great with berries. And this Vegan Caramel Apple Bundt Cake from Sarah Bakes Gluten Free is a real show stopper!

OUT OF COCOA? – According to this recipe for Vanilla Crazy Cake from Totally the Bomb, you can leave out the cocoa. However, this also means you need to reduce the amount of vinegar and increase the vanilla. 

Print

Gluten Free Wacky Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cool Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For The Cake

• 1 1/2 c Cup 4 Cup Flour Blend
• 1 tsp xanthum gum omit if using a flour blend that already contains xanthan gum
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp baking cocoa
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp espresso powder – optional
• 1 c water

For Boiled Chocolate Frosting

• 4 tbsp baking cocoa
• 1 c sugar
• 8 tbsp butter
• 1/4 c. milk of your choosing
• 1 tsp vanilla

OR For 2 Ingredient Ganache

• 3/4 c cream (coconut cream if dairy free) – 6 oz
• 1 c dark chocolate chips – 6 oz

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9X9 square cake pan with at least 2 inches in height on the side.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, xanthan gum (if not already in your flour blend), espresso powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
• In a small bowl, mix together wet ingredients (oil, vinegar, vanilla and water). Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing thoroughly. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. (I baked mine for 27 minutes, but your oven may vary.)
• Allow cake to cool completely for an hour or more before attempting to pour on fudge frosting.
• To make the boiled chocolate frosting, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the vanilla in a medium saucepan. (I prefer to use non-stick.) Cook over low-medium heat and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 4-5 minutes until it reaches the "soft ball" stage, approximately 240 degrees.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla. Immediately pour frosting on cooled cake. DO NOT WAIT FOR IT TO THICKEN BEFORE POURING! The fudge frosting will harden as it cools. Allow to cool for an hour prior to serving.
• If making 2 ingredient ganache, warm cream (or coconut cream) in a microwave safe bowl for 1 min 30 seconds. (I like to use a Pyrex measuring cup.) Add chocolate chips to warmed cream and stir until all chocolate melts. Pour over cake and allow to set for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

Cup 4 Cup brand flour blend contains more corn starch that other gluten free flour blends. If you’re using King Arthur Measure for Measure, you may want to add an extra tbsp of corn starch. 

Alternate frosting option – You could also top this cake with a very easy dairy free chocolate ganache. Combine 6 oz Thai Kitchen (3/4 cup) coconut cream with 6 oz dairy free (1 cup) chocolate chips. Warm the cream first, and then add chocolate chips, until they melt. 

Have you made a version of this gluten-free vegan chocolate cake before?  For more recipes from my mother-in-law, check out her recipe for Lemon Curd! What family dessert traditions do you enjoy your family? I’d love for you to share them below!

Originally Published May 2017

The post Gluten Free Wacky Cake : Vegan Chocolate Cake appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Michigan Blueberries

When it comes to summer months, I love July. Why? Because here in Michigan,  it’s blueberry picking time! Every year, my husband and I drive 20 miles to Montrose Orchards. We often like to invite friends and family to go, especially those with little kids who get to experience it for the first time. It brings them such joy, well portrayed by my niece Kyra.

While we chat with friends, we stay busy picking these sweet berries. Our record is 10 lbs, although this year (July 2018), we managed to pick 7.5 lbs between us. And what does one do with all those beautiful berries? Make gluten free blueberry muffins, of course!

Nerd Alert

One day I wondered “How do different gluten free flours perform in a recipe?” A bit of background – I’m a bit of a nerd. As a kid, I sometimes took things apart just to see how they worked. I have a degree in Mathematics (for Elementary School Teachers) and I always like geometric proofs because it “proved” why something was true.

When I first tried my “experiment, I used  four different  flours. I tried GF Jules, Pamela’s Baking Mix, Krusteaz, and Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose flours. As I update this recipe, I chose four other flours with which to make my gluten free blueberry muffins. flours. My base recipe is the Dessert For Two recipe for Blueberry Muffins. 

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Made with Cup 4 Cup

I adore Cup 4 Cup Multipurpose Gluten Free Flour. If I want to make something right out of a “regular cookbook,” I prefer this mix every time. (Like these Resurrection Rolls!) Christina’s recipe uses only one egg white, which I may have mixed a bit too much. These tasted a  bit more like blueberry studded Angel food cake. (Which is still 100% delicious!) One important note. I ran out of Cup 4 Cup and had to use a smidge of another flour to attain the right amount of flour for these gluten free blueberry muffins. I imagine it altered the texture.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Made with Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour

I purchased the Pillsbury gluten free flour for the first time recently. Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan. These gluten free blueberry muffins fell apart and the tops broke off when I removed them from the muffin tin. Now, as mentioned before, Christina’s recipe does not use the whole egg. So this may have been part of the cause. However, a gluten free flour blend that states it can be used as an equal replacement should have done better, in my opinion.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins made with Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend

These. This batch of gluten free blueberry muffins using Pamela’s Artisan blend turned into a pleasant surprise. The package stated that it may need more liquid than other recipes, but I used the same base recipe as the other two. They baked up beautifully, although sunk a bit as they cooled. My husband tried one, and stated these reminded him of muffins you’d get from a bakery. Therefore, I’d call that a win, wouldn’t you? Also try her bread flour to make these delicious gluten free bagels!

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins made with King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten Free Flour + xanthan gum

The three other flour blends included xanthan gum. King Arthur Flour All Purpose Gluten Free Flour does not. Therefore, I added 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to the gluten free blueberry muffins recipe.

What is xanthan gum and what does it do? I explained it in my gluten free vegan chocolate cake post, so pop over there to read more in depth on it.

Like the other gluten free blueberry muffins, they rose well but flattened out once they reached over the muffin tin. However, they held together much better than the Pillsbury ones. In truth, I would suggest just buying their (AMAZING) gluten free muffin mix than making these from scratch.

In Conclusion

As I stated above, no two “tasters” are alike.  We all like certain products more than others for a reason. And you know what, that’s okay!  It’s great that there is so much safe, gluten free diversity out there. As Celiac Disease and culinary techniques improve, we have a lot of options.

As far as I’m concerned, if there is a product you use that helps you feel like a successful gluten free baker, that’s great! Now pardon me as I go enjoy another one of these gluten free blueberry muffins. Anyone want to come over and help me get rid of these?!

For a simliar review in a chocolate chip cookie recipe, check out this post, “What’s the Best Gluten Free Flour?” from The Gluten Free Austrian.

**I was not paid or compensated in any way by any of the names brands. This post does include Amazon affiliate links. My affiliate link directs a small portion of the sale back to me, while not changing the price you pay in any way. Thanks for helping support my blog!**

The post Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins Made Four Ways appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.