The Water Cake is that magical dessert that always saves you in the kitchen. It is the simplest dessert there is. It’s my favorite base: very simple, very light, and so soft that it seems like a cloud. The best thing? It can be prepared in a minute, using only a bowl, and it is practically impossible to mess up, even if you’re not a dessert expert.
It’s a neutral and very delicate recipe, perfect to enjoy as it is or to transform according to your taste: you can flavor it with coffee, orange, or enrich it with many apples. But its true strength is its versatility: being so soft, it is perfect to fill with custard, cream, jam, or, for the more indulgent, with a generous spread of hazelnut cream.
If you want to discover how versatile this cake can be, find all my versions here: ➡️ Water Cakes.
Come with me and let’s start baking.
Happy cooking, Giusi.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the Water Cake
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/8 cups granulated sugar (I used whole cane sugar)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3/8 cup vegetable oil
Tools
I used a 8-9 inch diameter pan, if you prefer you can also use a larger pan, the cake will be slightly lower and the cooking times will obviously change.
Steps for the Water Cake
In a bowl, with the help of a hand whisk or a fork, mix the eggs with the sugar. Then, gradually pour in the vegetable oil, the milk, and the lukewarm water (but not boiling). Finally, add the previously sifted flour and baking powder.
Pour the mixture into a 8-9 inch pan (or even larger if you prefer, but remember that the cake will be slightly lower) previously buttered and floured.
Bake at 356°F in a preheated static oven, in the central part, for about 30 minutes. After this time, do the toothpick test: if it comes out dry, the cake is ready. Please, let it cool completely in the pan.
Once the cake is completely cool, you can decide to leave it as is, dust it with powdered sugar, or cut it in half, as you see in the photo below, and fill it with hazelnut cream or whatever you prefer.
Storage
The water cake keeps very well under a glass dome or in an airtight container for 3-4 days, remaining as soft as when it was just made. As for the flavor, this base is a blank canvas: you can customize it by adding orange zest, lemon zest, or a vanilla extract to the batter to make it even more fragrant.
