Fall Wacky Snack Cake-Apple, Maple, Walnut

Anyone remember the Wacky Snack Cake craze? It's a super simple 8x8 cake that can be whipped up from start to cake-cooling-and-dishes-washed in less than an hour. I likey! What makes it even greater is the never ending list of flavor variations (see below). Today's version should really be labeled "The Cubbard Was Bare Cake" because I only had a handful of walnuts and raisins, so I kept improvising and ended up with a moist, fluffy, tasty little cake:@)

They say you can mix this right in the baking dish, but I did use my mixer.

Apple, Maple, Walnut Snack Cake-adapted from Taste of Home
1 1/3 C A/P flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C water
1/2 C applesauce
1/3 C oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon-add as much as you like
1/2 tsp pure maple extract-if you find it at Marshalls etc. grab it! You won't be sorry
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/3 C nuts-walnut or pecan
1/3 C raisins

1. I just threw everything (except nuts/raisins) in the bowl of my mixer and put the spurs to it. Mix in the nuts/raisins last.
2. Pour into an ungreased 8x8 baking dish.
3. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Garnish with powdered sugar if desired.

I've attached a link to the Taste of Home Community where MissEllie listed this cake and variations. It was posted in 2004, I don't think she'd mind my sharing them here, kindly let me know if otherwise.

Have a happy day:@)

WACKY SNACK CAKE with variations:

CHOCOLATE
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat 350 degree oven. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa in bowl with a fork.
Stir in other ingredients. Pour in ungreased 8x8x2 pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes,
until wooden pick comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Note: can be mixed in pan.

APPLESAUCE
Omit cocoa and vanilla. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoon allspice into flour mixture.
Reduce water to 1/2 cup and stir in 1/2 cup applesauce.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY
Omit water. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped nuts (almonds) into flour mixture.
Drain 1 jar (4 oz.) cherries reserving syrup. Chop cherries. Add water to syrup to make 1 cup. Stir water-syrup mixture and cherries with remaining ingredients

CHOCOLATE CHIP
Omit vanilla and cocoa. Stir in 1/3 cup nuts into flour mixture.
Sprinkle with 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips over batter in pan.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE
Same as chocolate snack cake except sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips
over batter before baking.

MAPLE NUT
Omit cocoa and vanilla. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans into flour
mixture and add 1/2 teaspoon maple extract.

OATMEAL MOLASSES
Omit cocoa and vanilla. Stir in 3/4 cup quick oatmeal, 1 teaspoon
allspice and 2 tablespoons molasses.

OLD FASHIONED SPICE WALNUT
Omit cocoa and vanilla. Stir in 1/3 cups chopped nuts and 1 1/2
teaspoons allspice.

BROWN SUGAR NUT
Omit cocoa and vanilla. Stir in 1/3 cup walnuts.

PUMPKIN
Omit cocoa and vanilla. Stir in 1 teaspoon allspice into flour mixture.
Reduce water to 1/2 cup and stir in 1/2 cup pumpkin.

CHOCOLATE MINT
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract with the water.

CHOCOLATE SPICE
Stir 1/2 teaspoon allspice into flour mixture. 

I'm joining:

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday