The grandchildren would love to make this cake when they visit. It is fascinating to put vinegar into a cake, and it is just the right size. For a two layer cake double the recipe.

Ingredients

5 tblsp. butter, melted

1-1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tblsp. cider vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup water

Confectioner's sugar for topping

Stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix the vinegar, vanilla and water together and then add to the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter, and using a large spoon, mix the batter well for about a minute until the batter is smooth and creamy. Pour into a round cake pan that has been well greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done in the center. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan, or it will stick. Dust with confectioners sugar, or frost with your favorite icing.

We always used a broom straw to stick into the center of the cake and if it lifted out clean, without the batter sticking to the straw it was considered cooked in the center. Today broom straws are not readily available, nor as sanitary I suspect. Many use toothpicks for this job today. Another usual cake baking job was wiping the cake pan with crisco, and sprinkling in flour and banging the pan to remove the excess. I am not sure that is a method employed in baking today.

Notice this cake has no eggs, no milk. It wasn't an expensive or difficult cake to homebake. It didn't require an electric mixer and you will be impressed at how good it tastes.

Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tblsp. butter melted

1-1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 cups fresh corn kernals (about 12 ears)

Stir together eggs, cream, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in corn. Pour into a lightly greased 1-1/2 quart baking dish.