You Wont Believe This "Tenkara" Cake!

The post title is honest... if there ever was a simplified and knocked down to it's basics version of chocolate cake...
this is it! 

It has been called "Wacky Cake" or "Depression Cake" but from where I am cooking, this is "Tenkara Cake".

A little history on the "Wacky cake"
During the Great Depression, when resources were scarce and families struggled to make ends meet, a delightful and resourceful dessert known as wacky cake emerged as a popular treat. Wacky cake, also known as depression cake or crazy cake, was a unique creation that defied traditional baking methods. What made it truly wacky was the absence of expensive ingredients like eggs, butter, and milk, which were hard to come by during those difficult times. Instead, wacky cake relied on simple pantry staples like flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, vinegar, and vegetable oil. These humble ingredients were mixed together in a single bowl, creating a moist and flavorful cake that amazed everyone who tasted it. Despite its unconventional approach, wacky cake offered a taste of joy and indulgence during a time of hardship, reminding people that even in the toughest of times, a little creativity and ingenuity could bring sweetness to their lives.

Wacky cake is made of the simplest of ingredients and makes a very moist and chocolaty cake. You probably have everything you need in your cupboard right now to make one.  As I was making this cake, I realized that I could easily premix the dry ingredients ahead of time and then add in the wet ingredients later. Would be great for trying to bake on a campfire?  Traditionally this cake thought is made in a single 8x8 baking pan.. But you can still dirty a single mixing bowl and pour it into the baking pan to save yourself some mess of mixing the ingredients in the shallow pan.

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Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water
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After it cools add your choice of Frosting, dust with powdered sugar, or as is right out of the pan.

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F (175 deg C).
• Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into an 8x8-inch ungreased cake pan.
• Make 3 depressions in the flour mixture.
• Pour oil into one well, vinegar into second, and vanilla into third well.
• Pour water over all, then stir with a fork until well blended.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.