This vintage depression cake recipe (wacky cake recipe) is quick and easy to make with simple ingredients in 1 bowl! It has no butter, no milk, no eggs.
Depression cake OR vegan wacky cake OR crazy cake OR poor man's cake OR war cake. This cake goes by many names!
My mom used to make this cake for me every weekend, while growing up and her mom used to make it for her and now, I love making it for my family.
This simple chocolate cake recipe was developed during the Great Depression era.
My understanding of this depression cake history/wacky cake history is that milk, eggs and butter were very expensive during that time and most people could not afford to buy them.
Desserts were considered to be an item of luxury but everyone still wanted to enjoy cake and thus, our brilliant ancestors came up with this affordable alternative cake recipe without eggs, butter or milk.
You would think that without those key ingredients, this cake would be dry BUT it's actually very soft and moist due to the use of baking soda and vinegar. I promise you can't even taste or smell the vinegar once this cake has baked.
Also, this one bowl chocolate cake comes together in the cake pan itself!
That means no more mixing bowls and paddle attachments to wash up...YAY!
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The original recipe does nothave any frosting and it was enjoyed as is or with just a dusting of powdered sugar.
To be honest, there is NO such thing as a depression cake frosting or wacky cake frosting or even a wacky cake glaze because most frosting recipes use butter, which was not readily available during that era.
Now, thankfully we have an abundant supply of butter and I like to top off this cake with my very simple chocolate buttercream icing, some sprinkles and sometimes, even decorate them with pretty royal icing flowers.
Over time, people have tweaked this recipe even further and made numerous wacky cake recipe variations such as vanilla depression cake/vanilla wacky cake or lemon depression cake. I have even seen depression cake cupcakes/wacky cake cupcakes and depression cake in a mug that's made in the microwave.
TIPS for depression chocolate cake or wacky chocolate cake:
- Make sure you are using unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Your cake pan must be ungreased.
- Don't replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour because the result is an awful cake texture.
- I have heard you can make gluten free depression cake/ gluten free wacky cake by using the Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour but I have personally not tried it.
- You can double the recipe to serve a larger crowd and make wacky cake (9x13)/ depression cake (9x13).
- Mix the batter in a bowl and use that to fill cupcake liners and enjoy some cupcakes.
- Try different extracts in this recipe to come up with new flavors.
How to make depression cake?
In a square cake pan, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda. Then, make 3 holes. In one hole, add oil. In the second hole, add vinegar. In the third oil, add vanilla extract. Pour water over everything and mix until just combined. Bake and enjoy!
What is depression cake?
This was an affordable cake recipe that was developed during the Great Depression era around Worl War 1. It's made with no eggs, no butter and no milk, which were not readily available during that time and also very expensive.
More Vegan Desserts
Recipe
Crazy Wacky Depression Cake
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups All-purpose flour
- ÂĽ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon White vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 cup Water
Chocolate Frosting (Optional)
- ÂĽ cup Milk Whole or 2%
- â…“ cup Butter Unsalted
- 3 tablespoon Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 ½ - 3 cups Powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- In a square cake pan (Dimensions: 8x8- Ungreased), add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and whisk everything together.
- Use your finger to make 2 small holes and 1 large hole in this dry flour mixture.
- Pour vinegar and vanilla extract in the small holes.
- Pour oil in the large hole.
- Pour water over everything.
- Mix everything together until just combined. Don't worry if you have some lumps. Just don't over-mix or else you will end up with a rubbery cake.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until an toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Chocolate Frosting
- While the cake is cooling down, prepare the frosting: In a non-stick saucepan, add milk, butter and cocoa powder and mix until smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until smooth and creamy.
- Pour this frosting over your entire cake and let it set in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Toss some sprinkles on top of the cake and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Keep in mind that since you will not be lining your pan with wax paper or using oil spray, the cake will stick to the pan slightly. No need to panic! You can still EASILY cut slices with a knife and use an offset spatula to remove them from the pan and serve them in plates.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
Faz
So easy an quick!!!
Thank you in Zimbabwe where eggs an marg are sooo expensive it's like we're in depression state, but still want a sweet treat!!
Diane
Have made this several times using King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour. Comes out great!
Mrs.M
Can I replace water and vinegar with buttermilk?
Thank you
Abeer Rizvi
I don't think that would work but I have not tried it myself.
Beth
This is the best homemade chocolate cake it have ever made!! Â My only complaint was to not doubling it! Â Very easy and wonderful!Â
KP
Baking in my oven, so easy to whip up and I already made the icing, again SO easy! I already know we will love this later tonight!Â
Kika
Hi Abeer, Thanks for sharing this vegan chocolate cake recipe. I’m really excited to try it. I really liked the family tradition and backstory you shared too. Sounds like you have some awesome women in your family. My grandmother made a similar chocolate cake she called “mayonnaise cake” when I was little. (I didn’t know it had mayonnaise’s until I was older. I’m guessing it worked for the same reasons this one does (mayonnaise does have eggs, but is also made with oil, water and vinegar).Â
Thanks for mentioning that you have reports of this working with GF four mixture from Bob’s Red Mill too. I have multiple loved-ones who have allergies and need to adhere to vegan, gluten-free or egg-free diets.
One little thing I wanted to point out to you about this post though; you mentioned WWI and the Great Depression as if they were the same period in time. However they were separated by more than 10 years!
WWI (called “The Great War” until WWII broke out) took place from 1914-1918.  Following WWI, the US had the “Roaring 20’s” when women gained the right to vote, all alcohol was criminalized (but people drank in secret clubs and and gangsters gained a strong foothold in many cities), technology boomed, telephones became common and flappers were stylish. A culture of glitz and luxury grew in US cities and and people believed that this would last forever in the modern era. But then the stock market crashed in 1929 and this was before banks were federally insured in the US. The economy collapsed. This was the beginning of the Great Depression. The Great Depression lasted for all of the 1930’s and the US only healed from this economic disaster because it profited from WWII and the aftermath of WWII in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
Thank you again.
Marilyn camden
Can I use glass cake pan?
Abeer Rizvi
As long as it's oven-safe, you should be fine.
Joelle Sissons
loved it.
Carrie
So easy and so good!