FUNNY CAKE and VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

I was rushing to meet friends for lunch, a lovely birthday celebration for lovely ladies. I stopped by a local bakery to pick up petit fours for them, and because I wasn't sure I would have time to bake or make a snack for my kids and their friends after school, I also purchased cake pops and adorable football themed cookies.
As it happened, there was plenty of time to mix up this Funny Cake and settle it into the oven to cook, while the kids were happily playing and entertaining each other.

FUNNY CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup cold water
Frosting - recipe to follow

Heat oven to 350F.
Place a sifter in an 8-inch square baking pan. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to sifter and sift into pan.
Using a mixing spoon, make three wells in the dry flour mixture. Add vanilla to one well, add the vegetable oil to another well, and add the vinegar to the third well. Pour the cold water over the mixture, distributing it evenly. Stir gently until no lumps remain. Bake cake for 35 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from the pan.
Cool in pan on a wire rack. Once cool, spread the frosting on the cake and decorate with sprinkles if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, September 2011
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
2 cups confectioners sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, with an electric mixer. Add vanilla paste and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth and spreadable.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, May 2009
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎