Vintage Vanilla Cake really takes you back, and then some! It draws inspiration from wacky cake, a Depression-era cake that uses vinegar to make each bite fluffy, tender, and just a little tangy. That tanginess brings out the best of the floral and sweet vanilla flavor, which invites you back for another piece… and maybe just one more for good measure! Lucious, creamy frosting transforms Vintage Vanilla Cake into more than a classic… it becomes a perpetual, timeless favorite!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups frosting or whipped cream, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
Step 2 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 3 –Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with the extra vegetable oil.
Step 4 –Sift the flour, the sugar, the baking soda, and the salt through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the prepared baking pan.
Step 5 –Stir the dry ingredients mixture together with a fork or a silicone whisk.
Step 6 –Add 1/3 cup of the vegetable oil, the vinegar, the vanilla, and the water, stirring with the fork until fully incorporated.
Step 7 –Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Step 8 –Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
Step 9 –Frost the cake with the frosting or whipped cream and serve.
