Mix-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake

But don't
From: aalanm@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (A Alan Middleton)

Dark, moist, and chocolaty.  [Personally, I find it more work to stir
sideways in the pan for 2 minutes than to rinse out a bowl.  Also, a
fork damages a non-stick surface if you mix in the pan.  But I quote the
recipe verbatim.]

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup salad oil
1 cup water
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan
only if you wish to unmold the cake for serving; otherwise you may serve
the cake directly from the pan.

Combine the flour, baking soda, granulated sugar, cocoa, and salt, and
sift them together into the baking pan.  Shake the pan to level the
ingredients, then with your finger or the back of a spoon make three
small holes in the flour mixture.  Pour the vinegar into one hole, the
vanilla into another, and the oil into the remaining one.  Pour the water
over all.  Using a table fork, stir the mixture very well, reaching all
over the bottom and corners of the pan to incorporate all the flour.
Mixing will take about 1 1/2 minutes , and the batter will be almost
smooth -- a few small lumps are okay, and will disappear in baking.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center
comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven, and if you are going
to serve it unmolded, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before
turning it out onto a rack.  Otherwise, let the cake cool completely
in the pan.  Before serving, dust with confesctioners' sugar shaken
through a fine sieve.