Emergency Chocolate Cake Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round or square baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until they are thoroughly combined and no streaks of white flour remain.
Make three indentations in the dry ingredients. Pour the vegetable oil into one, the vinegar into the second, and the vanilla extract into the third.
Pour the 1 cup of water over everything in the bowl. Use a whisk or a spatula to mix the batter until it is smooth and all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly into the corners. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.