This old fashioned cake from the Great Depression era is moist and tender, and contains NO eggs, milk, or butter. We'll add sprinkles to make it festive!
5tablespoonsoil(such as vegetable oil or canola oil)
1tablespoonvinegar
1teaspoonvanilla
1cupwater
¼cupsprinkles(use jimmies for best results)
For the frosting: (see notes below for a non-dairy version)
¼cup(4 tablespoons) softened butter(substitute non-dairy butter if desired)
2 cupspowdered sugar
1–2 tablespoonsmilk(substitute non-dairy milk if desired)
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
Additional jimmies (sprinkles) for the top
Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in an ungreased 8x8-inch pan. Stir with a fork to combine.
Make three wells in the flour mixture, and pour the vanilla into one well, the vinegar into another well, and the oil into the final well.
Pour the water over the top, and stir with a fork to combine.
Stir in the sprinkles. Check the edges of the dish to make sure no dry ingredients have gathered there, and mix just until combined.
Bake the cake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
For the frosting:
Place the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk into a large bowl.
Mix with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake, and top with additional sprinkles.
Notes
Store any leftover cake, tightly covered, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. You can freeze this cake as well, either with or without the frosting, for up to 3 months. Since the cake is vegan and dairy-free, you may want a frosting that matches. In that case, substitute dairy-free butter for the butter and a non-dairy milk for the cow's milk. Many canned frostings (such as Betty Crocker) are also dairy-free, but check the label to be sure.