In keeping with the “Be Thrifty” admonishment of another post this morning, and because a cooking segment on one of today’s morning news shows demonstrated what they called “Wacky Cake” (my mother called it “Snack Cake” and others call it “War Cake”), I’m posting a dozen variations of an easy, tasty, relatively cheap cake that all our grandmothers knew. These are “thrifty” cakes because they need no frosting; call for no butter, milk, or eggs; and you almost certainly have all the ingredients for almost all the varieties in your cupboard right now (some won’t have maraschino cherries and probably not pumpkin unless you’re looking for a way to use leftovers during holiday pie-baking season, but there are versions here that don’t call for even that level of “exotic” ingredient).

These cakes are easy enough for small children to make, and are fast enough that you can put one in the oven as soon as you get up and have it baked in time to pack in sack lunches.

The only important note is that these cakes are leavened by the action of baking soda and vinegar. Mix them in the baking pan with a fork, not with beaters in a bowl; have your oven pre-heated; and mix all ingredients but vinegar first. Then stir in the vinegar as quickly as possible and put immediately into the hot oven.

All these cakes bake at 350 degrees, in an 8×8 square pan, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Applesauce

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1-1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 cup applesauce

Brown Sugar Nut

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar

Chocolate

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Chip

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate Cherry

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup chopped unblanched almonds
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4-oz. jar maraschino cherries
1 cup cherry liquid/water mixture
1 tsp. vinegar

Chocolate Mint

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. mint extract

Chocolate Spice

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup cocoa
1-1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Double Chocolate

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Maple Nut

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. maple extract

Pumpkin

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tblsp. molasses

Oatmeal Molasses

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. allspice
3/4 cup oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar
2 tblsp. molasses

Spice-Walnut

1-2/3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1-1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vinegar