Summary: This is the moistest, vanilla'iest, perfect-for-birthday-cakes white cake recipe out there. No one ever knows it's vegan. It's just delicious.
To make this a chocolate cake, add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the mix at the time you sift together the dry ingredients. I'm pretty sure this recipe originated at King Arthur Flour.

Yield: 18-20 cupcakes, a 9x13 cake or two 8" rounds

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
scant 2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cold water

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Make three wells. Pour oil into one well, vinegar into second, and vanilla into third well. Pour cold water over all, and stir well with fork.

Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pans, and bake at 350° Fahrenheit (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Frost with your favorite icing.