Heat the oven to 350F/180C. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla and vinegar with 1 cup cold water. Whisk in the dry ingredients, blending until completely lump-free. Pour into a greased 9-inch round cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed gently. Cool before removing from the pan and dusting with confectioners' sugar, or frosting if desired.

Serving Size: 6

I made this cake for our Valentine-Tet-Shrove-Tuesday party yesterday, and it was really good. I used walnut oil instead of corn oil, and Sucanat instead of white sugar, and rice vinegar instead of cider because we were out of cider, and cooked it in a 8 inch (20 cm) square pan instead of 9 inch (23 cm) round, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly! I frosted it with easy ganache (Melt 8 oz / 225 g semisweet chocolte in a microwave or dougle boiler; blend thoroughly with 8 fl oz / 225 ml sweetened soya milk; chill, covered, 4 hours or overnight) and stuck raspberries (they were on sale - heart-shaped candies, if you can find some without gelatine in, would do as well) on in the shape of a heart.

Adapted from "Cafe Beaujolais" by Margaret Fox and John S. Bear (Ten Speed Press, 1984)