Two brothers, one is 9, and the other, 12, have been visiting for a few days in the neighborhood. The 12 year-old likes to bake and, with his younger brother’s birthday upcoming, I thought it might be a good time to teach him how to make a cake that he will be able to bake for many future occasions once he’s done it and realized it’s easy, yummy and likely to be the favorite chocolate cake of another family.
It’s a commonly available chocolate cake recipe and called by other names besides Crazy Cake such as Wacky Cake and Eggless Cake. It’s easy because the cake can be mixed and baked in the same pan, no greasing and flouring the pan, no parchment. Dry ingredients go into the pan, are mixed together, then wet ingredients are mixed in, then the cake is baked, cooled and frosted or not. The birthday boy is going to love it. (It’s a surprise, too.) I used Vanilla cream icing with decorations in Seattle Seahawks colors rather than penuche, which is my family’s favorite on it.
I’ve seen variations that leave out the cocoa for a vanilla cake instead.
Incidentally, I spoke with my mother a few times on her birthday and yesterday and heard that a) she loves the Lavender Butter Cookies* that I baked for her birthday, has not shared a single one and has hidden them in her room, as predicted; and b) that she made a Crazy Cake with Penuche Icing for her own birthday and shared it with her fellow volunteers at the Discovery Shop in Silverdale and with at least one family member. What can I say? Family favorite, no matter the occasion.
*https://mschefinseattle.com/2016/07/06/lavender-butter-cookies/
Ms Chef in Seattle 
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