If anyone feels the need to purchase a gift for this blogger, I’d happily accept the cookbook, “Retro Desserts,” by Wayne Brachman. I think I originally saw it mentioned on Smitten Kitchen – it looks like a fun baking-oriented book with quirky recipes. I looked it up on amazon and flipped through the few pages available online when I found this recipe.
Crazy Craters of the Moon Cake with Moonrock Topping
Serves 6-8
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
6 T. vegetable oil (or melted butter)
1 T. cider or white vinegar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. milk
1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350
In 8-in. round cake pan, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt.
With a spoon, dig one 1 1/2 in. and two 1/4 in. holes or craters, in the flour mixture.
Put the oil in the big hole and the vanilla and vinegar in the small holes.
Pour milk over everything and mix to consistency of mud.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle on marshmallows…
…and bake 10-15 more minutes until center springs back lightly when touched and marshmallows melt into tan moon rocks.
Cool and serve right out of pan.
This cake was not spectacular. It had little hardened “rocks” of the batter – which I guess was the point. It did catch everyone off guard at first. I think the vinegar must have created the effect. It had tasted good though, and was super easy. I love baking which involves only a round pan and some ingredients. No mixing with an electric mixer, not much measuring, no sifting… it was no-fuss, from-scratch baking.
That’s it for the next week – I’m off on vacation.
That looks amazzing!