Cake recipe calls for "oil" and "vinegar." Which oil and vinegar?

[largeprintagathachristie]

I have a chocolate cake recipe that calls for half a cup of oil and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Would that be white vinegar and vegetable oil, do you think?

Yes, I’d use sunflower oil and white wine or cider vinegar.

Yes that's what I would think. Never used vinegar in a cake though, have used it in meringue though

Almond oil in cakes is lovely - get a little bottle if going to do that cake again. Some call for olive oil but I normally don't like its flavour in cakes.

thanks, all

It's a 1980's recipe book, so I imagine the least "fancy" options are probably what they're assuming everyone would reach for.

Well i don’t think I’ve ever known vinegar to be in a cake recipe

Oil, sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable. Light, place ISH oils. Almond oil could be glorious though, like pp said.

Vinegar. Hold on. I ain't so sure about that at all.

Funnily I made a chocolate cake today that calls for vinegar and oil! White vinegar – it’s just there for acid to combine with bicarb to make it all rise. Oil – in my recipe it was a substitute for butter and egg, definitely vegetable.

Yes normally Sunflower oil , no idea about the vinegar .

I'd use sunflower oil and apple cider vinegar.

My Nans old (and very yummy) chocolate cake had vinegar in it and she used ordinary sarsons!

I wonder if it was a war thing, or from times when they didn't have so much choice of ingredients?

Vinegar seems to be a common ingredient in egg free/vegan cakes - the recipes I've done have used apple cider vinegar.

Vinegar is quite common in vegan/eggless recipes to help it rise. I used to use cider Vinegar. You can't taste it once it cooks. It's neutralised by the Bicarb. It can be used in egg-y cakes too. It helps keep it moist as it does...something...to the proteins in the egg to make it set.
I'd use plain sunflower oil or canola/rapeseed for the cake as it's got the least flavour.

Vinegar acts as a rising agent, it was often used in wartime in place of one of the eggs, malt vinegar is fine but I use white.