Budget Holiday Bake: Just 5 basic ingredients. I toss this together when I need a hands-off, ultra-moist crowd pleaser for the weekend without running to the store for expensive extras.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker crazy cake is my weeknight answer to the holiday dessert dilemma: something indulgent, ultra-moist, and hands-off, without a special trip to the store. It takes its cue from Depression-era "wacky" or "crazy" cakes, which were famously made without eggs, butter, or milk and stirred together right in the pan. Here, we adapt that thrifty idea to a round slow cooker, leaning on cocoa, oil, and hot coffee to create a deeply dark, porous crumb. A simple sugary cocoa glaze soaks into the warm cake, giving you that glossy, almost pudding-like top you see in the photo—perfect for feeding a crowd on a budget.

Serve this cake warm, scooped straight from the slow cooker into bowls so you catch all the glossy, syrupy glaze from the top. A splash of cold milk or a spoonful of plain yogurt balances the richness nicely, and if you have it on hand, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream turns it into a full-on holiday dessert. Coffee or black tea is a natural pairing with the dark cocoa and coffee flavors, but it’s just as welcome next to a glass of red wine after dinner. Leftovers are lovely at room temperature with morning coffee, the crumb staying moist for days thanks to the slow cooker and the soak of the glaze.

Servings: 8

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Prepare the slow cooker: Lightly grease the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of a round slow cooker insert (4- to 6-quart works well) with a little oil. If you’re worried about sticking, you can also line the bottom with a round of parchment, but it’s not essential.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder until there are no streaks. This even distribution of cocoa and sugar helps you get that uniform, dark crumb without dry pockets.

Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the 1/2 cup oil and 1 cup of the hot coffee. Stir with a spoon or spatula until you have a smooth, pourable batter. It will look a bit thinner than traditional cake batter—that’s what helps create the open, porous texture in the slow cooker.

Fill the slow cooker: Pour the batter into the greased slow cooker insert, spreading it gently so it’s even. Tap the insert once or twice on the counter to pop any large air bubbles.

Slow cook the cake: Cover the slow cooker with its lid, place the insert in the base, and cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. You’re looking for a deeply dark, set surface with small, visible pores and a springy center. Because slow cookers vary, start checking around the 2-hour mark; the center should no longer look wet, though a toothpick will come out with moist crumbs.

Make the glaze: About 10 minutes before the cake is done, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder and the remaining 1 cup hot coffee in a small bowl or measuring cup until completely smooth and glossy. The sugar already in the cake will balance this simple, intense glaze.

Glaze the hot cake: As soon as the cake is cooked, turn off the slow cooker but leave the insert in place and the cake hot. Using a thin skewer or fork, poke many holes all over the surface of the cake, going almost to the bottom. Slowly pour the hot cocoa-coffee mixture evenly over the top, letting it seep into the holes. The dark liquid will soak down into the porous crumb, creating that shiny, gelatinous-looking top and ultra-moist interior.

Rest and serve: Cover the slow cooker again and let the glazed cake sit, off the heat, for 15 to 20 minutes. This rest lets the glaze absorb and thicken into the crumb while the surface stays glossy and steamy. Serve warm straight from the slow cooker, scooping down through the dense, glistening top to capture some of the pooled glaze with each portion.

Because this cake is built on pantry basics, you can adapt it easily to what you have without complicating the ingredient list. For a milder flavor, swap part of the coffee for hot water—try 1 1/2 cups coffee and 1/2 cup water total between the batter and glaze. If you don’t drink coffee at all, use all hot water and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the batter if you have it (it won’t count against your 5 ingredients if you treat it as an optional flavor booster). For a slightly lighter texture, you can reduce the oil to 1/3 cup; the cake will still be moist, just a bit less dense. If your cocoa is very dark (like Dutch-process), the crumb will be nearly black and extra dramatic; with natural cocoa, expect a medium-dark brown. To keep this budget-friendly but dress it up for the holidays, serve with whatever you already have: a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of leftover caramel, or a few spoonfuls of jam swirled into the top just before serving. Leftovers reheat nicely in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds per slice, and the texture actually improves the next day as the glaze continues to soak into the crumb.