Great Great Aunt Mertie's Crazy Cake

From the kitchen of my great great aunt Mertie Rensberger, who lived on her own in rural Indiana until she died of old age at 98. This was the cake I learned to bake on. I would've liked to have transcribed this verbatim from Mertie's notes, but food.com doesn't accept "soda" as an ingredient. Understandable, since I remember the first time my mother made this with me I thought we were supposed to put 7-Up in the cake!

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 2 nine-inch cakes

Ingredients

• 3  cups flour
• 2  cups sugar
• 2⁄3 cup cocoa powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 2  cups water
• 2⁄3 cup  oil
• 1  tablespoon vinegar

Directions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour two nine-inch cake pans (or one 9x14 baking pan).
3. Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
4. In a smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients.
5. Make a nest in the dry ingredients.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the nest and stir until well mixed, but don't beat.
7. Pour batter into pan(s) and bake on center rack for 25-30 minutes for nine-inch pans or about 45 minutes for a rectangular pan.