I like to read cookbooks like regular books. There is no plot, but the reading is compelling all the the same. As I was reading through my Betty Crocker's Cookbook, I ran across a recipe I have not used in some time. This cake is good, warm or cold, with and without frosting. If you want to get a little fancy you can make your own fruit syrup to drizzle over it. I cut up about 4 cups of frozen strawberries and placed them in a pan with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. I let it simmer for a couple hours. As a bonus the apartment smelled like strawberries all afternoon.
From page 95 of The Big Red Cookbook printed in 2000:
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour - *Do not use self-rising flour.
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cold water
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of cake pan with shortening, lightly flour.
2. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Mix oil, vinegar and vanilla. Vigorously stir oil mixture and water into flour mixture about 1 minute or until well blended. Immediately pour into pan.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool with ice cream.
Happy Valentine's Day from this terms house elves.
P.S. Please note this recipe has no milk or eggs in it, so if you know who is a vegan/vegetarian or lactose intolerant AND they like chocolate - this is a good cake for them.
