Craters of the Moon Cake ... Great for Kids!!

Submitted by: jej
Last Updated: 9/6/2008

This "one-pan" cake, called "Craters of the Moon Cake," is a good choice for younger family members who enjoy helping out in the kitchen. Indentations are made in the dry ingredients to form "craters," and wet ingredients are added to the "craters." When vinegar is added to a crater, the surface of the cake starts to foam and bubble like a volcano. Kids love it.

Also, it is eggless and can be dairy-free as well (with the following substitutions): For the butter and milk, use Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine and water. The cake will not diminish in flavor or texture!

This recipe is from 'The Joy of Chocolate,' by Judith Olney. It is one of my favorites. When we had a chocolate unit for our 7th graders (still teaching then...), we made it in class!! And with equal parts granulated and brown sugar, it is has a unique flavor and is so scrumptious!! --jej

Craters of the Moon Cake

NOTE: This delicious cake is VERY similar to the Amazon cake. I've doubled this one, left the marshmallows off or out, and put it into a 9x13 cake pan. Or it can be put (if doubled) into two 9" layer pans, as you wish. Can mix it in a bowl if you are doing these variations.

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup milk
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, put flour, sugars, salt and cocoa. After stirring together very well, you will have the light brown moon sand.

3. With a spoon, make a big crater in center so the bottom of pan shows through. Make a medium-sized crater on one side of the large crater, and a little crater on the other side.

4. Spoon baking soda into the medium-sized crater. Pour melted butter into the large crater. Pour vanilla into the smallest crater. Pour the vinegar over the baking soda in medium crater and watch how it becomes a bubbling, foaming volcano.

5. When the volcano stops foaming, pour the milk over the moon sand and carefully mix everything together until it looks like smooth mud.

6. Scatter marshmallow "rocks" over the surface.

7. Bake in preheated oven 35 minutes or until done.

8. Let cake cool in pan. Cut portions of moon and serve directly from baking dish. Makes 6 to 8 servings... or serves however many kids are present, if several.