Depression Cake (as in indent, not sadness)

As the title alludes, this is called "depression" cake for two reasons, neither of them involving sadness (directly, anyway).

1. You combine all the dry ingredients, then make theee "depressions" in the dry ingredients into which you pour the 3 wet ingredients.

2. This is a Depression Era cake recipe: a cake that can be made without milk, butter, or eggs; expensive and difficult items to come by during hard times.

Depression Cake

from Salon

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened (or black cocoa)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs vinegar (white or apple cider)

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 Tbs vegetable oil

1 cup cooled brewed coffee (or water)

Instructions:

1. Brew coffee, if using and cool rapidly. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Prepare 18 cupcake tins with paper cups or grease, or an 8" round or square pan with grease.

3. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until evenly mixed.

4. Make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients with the back of a spoon.

5. Into each hole, pour vinegar, vanilla, and oil. Pour coffee over all and mix batter well to combine.

6. Pour into cupcake moulds or cake pan. Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes or cake pan for 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool cake, and then frost with chocolate ganache (or other ideas) if so desired.