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A glass pie plate filled with chocolate wacky cake with a piece cut from it on a white plate beside it.
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4.72 / 7 votes

Chocolate Wacky Cake with Chocolate Frosting

This inexpensive, easy-to-make, dairy-free chocolate cake is rich and delicious.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 568

Ingredients

For the chocolate wacky cake

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup ice water
  • 6 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the chocolate frosting

  • 14 tablespoons (7 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy cream or whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • Rainbow sprinkles, optional but highly encouraged
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the chocolate wacky cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla, and whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
  • Transfer to a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a moist crumb or two, 25 to 35 minutes.
  • Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Make the chocolate frosting

  • While the cake is cooling, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat the butter on medium speed until soft and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Whisk the sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium-sized bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sugar mixture and 1/2 cup of cream to the butter in batches, beginning and ending with the sugar mixture.
  • Add the vanilla and salt and mix on medium until smooth, fluffy and spreadable, about 5 minutes, adding remaining cream, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary.
  • Generously frost the cake, decorate with rainbow sprinkles, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 418mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 64g