Here’s a wild one: molasses. It’s acidic, sweet, and thick as a politician’s promise. Replace ¼ cup of your recipe’s sugar with ¼ cup of molasses, and you can ditch ½ teaspoon of baking soda. The catch? Your cookies will taste like a pirate’s secret stash. Dark, rich, and completely out of character for a vanilla cake.
Be careful not to overdo it. Too much molasses and your cake will sink faster than my attempts at a beach volleyball career.
