This Chocolate Depression Cake is so moist, fudgy and decadent you’d never guess it’s made without eggs, milk or butter. There’s butter in the rich and creamy homemade frosting, but you can serve it without frosting or dust with icing sugar. Hands-down, it’s one of the easiest and most delicious cakes you’ll ever make.
Depression cake, also known as Wartime Cake, WW2 Ration Cake, Wacky Cake and Crazy Cake, is egg-free and dairy free, not because of food preferences, but because of necessity. It was created and made as a special treat during the Great Depression and World War 2 when baking ingredients were scarce.
Don’t be fooled though. This chocolate cake doesn’t taste like it’s been deprived of anything. I made it for my family two nights ago, and we all went bonkers over it.
I’m not lying when I say it’s the best homemade chocolate cake I’ve ever made. It’s so rich and dense it’s almost like the perfect combination between brownie and chocolate cake. And the frosting… OMG.
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A special shout-out to my friend Dave who recently shared a few of his mother’s favourite war-time recipes with me, knowing we’re all doing our best to bake and cook with ingredients that we have on hand, rather than running out to the grocery store to grab what we need.
Frosting Alternatives
He said it’s the only chocolate cake his kids ask for on their birthdays. You can frost it, or serve it without frosting, or if you’d like, you can sprinkle a little icing sugar on it once it has cooled. One of my readers said it’s delicious unfrosted, served warm with butter.
Cake sizes/Cupcakes
- The recipe below is baked in an 8×8 pan.
- For a larger cake, recipe can be doubled.
- For cupcakes, a double batch makes 24 cupcakes.
Note: if baking in a glass pan, reduce baking time slightly.
Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe
For your conviencience, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients:
- 1 & 1/2 cups flour
- 4 Tbsp cocoa
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 5 Tbsp veg oil
- 1 cup lukewarm Water
Cake Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325ºF
- Mix dry Ingredients together in one bowl, and wet ingredients together in another.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat well with electric beaters, or stir well with a wooden spoon.
- Bake at 325ºF for 45-50 minutes in an 8×8 ungreased pan.
- Check with a toothpick before removing from oven.
- Allow to cool before frosting.
Chocolate Icing
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 3 Tbsp Cocoa
- 3 Tbsp Hot Water
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 Cups Icing Sugar
Beat all ingredients together well and slather frosting on cooled cake.
Store at room temperature (if it lasts long enough to store!)
Enjoy!
Chocolate Depression Cake – No Egg, No Dairy
Ingredients
The Cake:
- 1.5 cups flour
- 4 Tbsp cocoa
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 5 Tbsp veg oil
- 1 cup lukewarm Water
The Frosting:
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 3 Tbsp Cocoa
- 3 Tbsp Hot Water
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 Cups Icing Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF.
- Mix wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat well with electric beaters or wooden spoon.
- Pour into an 8×8 pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Check with a toothpick before removing from oven.
Nutrition
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Barbara Greenway
Hello Jackie,
So happy to see the recipe on your website for a cake my Mom make throughout our life. She was born during the Great Depression so they learned how to do without or make the most of what they had. This chocolate cake recipe can be doubled to fit in a larger cake pan or as you said, doubled to make cupcakes. Mom used to ice it with delicious white or peanut butter icing and if you don’t have ingredients for icing or want an even lower calorie cake, serve it warm with butter. In no time the cake will be gone!!!
Jackie Currie
Hi Barbara! I’m glad this recipe brought back fond memories for you. Thanks for the tip about serving this cake warm with butter. That would be delicious!
Darina
Is the vinegar white vinegar or apple cider vinegar?
Jackie Currie
White vinegar, Darina, although I imagine ACV would work as well.
M Barbour
By chance I came across this recipe, which is almost identical to the one I used 4 3 years ago for my children who were all allergic to dairy produce. Delighted it is still around and makes the best all round cake for every taste and occasion. I used to add 1 cup of desiccated coconut to my recipe and serve it with bottled cherries. Thank you for posting this recipe as I am sure many will love it.
sharon
I SEE NO TEMPERATURE SETTING FOR THIS
Jackie Currie
Thanks, Sharon I included the temperature twice in the written body of the post but not in the printable recipe card. I’ve just added it there as well.