There is nothing easier to make than a Deep Depression Cake. A cake that dates back to the Great Depression, it is easy to make, a moist and inexpensive cake that has an amazing flavor. Made without butter, eggs or milk, this cake was inspired during the Great Depression.
Our 5-Minute Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is perfect with this chocolate cake recipe.
Deep Depression Cake Recipe
While deep depression cake started back in the Great Depression, it doesn’t mean it isn’t still loved today. This cake has been a classic for years and for good reason. This cake is extremely easy to make. It requires only the pan you will be baking in and a fork. It couldn’t be easier. The ingredients are extremely inexpensive.
Why Is This Called a Depression Cake?
This cake was created during the Great Depression. The cake is made with no butter, no eggs, and no milk. This is because during the Great Depression these ingredients were hard to come by. Since it was hard for many families to have enough food, dessert was a treat. By making it as inexpensive as possible.
Can I Freeze This Chocolate Cake?
If you want to freeze this Depression Era Chocolate cake, it is easy to do. Once the cake is cooled, you can slice it into pieces. You can freeze the cake as a whole or in individual slices. You can freeze the cake frosted or unfrosted. If you are freezing the cake frosted, you might want to freeze it on a plate before wrapping it. This will prevent the frosting from sticking to the plastic wrap.
Ingredients You Will Need
(full amounts in recipe box below)
- All-purpose Flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Sugar
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt
- White Vinegar
- Vanilla Extract
- Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil
- Water
- Chocolate Frosting
- Rainbow Sprinkles
How to Make a Wacky Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 13×9 baking dish with butter.
Using the pan as a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Using a fork, whisk together the ingredients.
Make 2 small wells on the sides and one larger well in the center in the dry ingredients.
Pour the vanilla and vinegar in each of the small wells and then oil in the larger well. Don’t worry if it overflows.
Pour water over everything and whisk to combine thoroughly.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is done. A toothpick will come out clean when it is done.
Cool the cake completely and frost the cake with your favorite chocolate frosting.
If desired, sprinkle rainbow sprinkles over the top.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Depression Cake - No Milk, Eggs or Butter
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Water
- Chocolate Frosting of your choice
- Rainbow Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease an 13x9 pan with butter.
- In the greased pan, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk lightly with a fork or small whisk to combine.
- Make two small wells on the sides and 1 large well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
- Pour the vinegar and vanilla into the small wells then pour the oil in the big well, if they spill over the wells that's perfectly okay.
- Pour the water over the top and whisk again to combine thoroughly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Frost the cake with your choice of chocolate frosting. Our 5-Minute Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is wonderful with this cake!
- Optional; sprinkle rainbow sprinkles on top.
- Enjoy!
Last Step:
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140 comments on “Chocolate Depression Cake – No Milk, Eggs or Butter”
I can’t stop eating this stuff! It’s soooo moist and spongy! I made it with hot cocoa powder instead of cocoa powder and used Mayo instead of vinegar but oh my gosh! I think I found a new pregnancy craving!!
Can you turn this into cupcakes instead of cake
We have never tried that but it should work fine. Let us know if you try it!
I make the same type cake but use mayonnaise instead of the vinegar and oil. Family makes it for all birthdays
How much mayo do you use when swapping for the vinegar and oil? Thank you in advance.
I know this as “One pan cocoa cake”. Grew up making it like this same recipe. It’s delicious!
love the recipe
NO Depression Here After Savoring This “No Depression Cake” !!!
David G Zamora
Edinburg Texan
⭐️ !
i make make it so easy and good
Hi, can you taste the vinegar after the cake is baked? Want to tey thus recipe but I’m scared the vinegar will come thru as I dont like vinegar.
No, you cannot taste the vinegar.
The vinegar is combined with the baking soda in lieu of eggs to make the cake light and fluffy. You do not taste vinegar at all. I have made several times and my daughter loves it more than other chocolate cake. Try it, I do think you will be disappointed. With the price of eggs and ingredients these days, it is a true depression cake winner for me and my family!
There is vinegar in red velvet cake as well, but you don’t taste it at all.
Easy to make and delicious !!
Can you make it with gluten free flour?
Yes.
This has quickly become my husband’s favorite cake. Delicious!
Looks so good I made it to day
10/10 would recommend this it was delicious the only thing that kinda made me upset was that cake wasn’t level so next time I’ll make it In a bowl so it’s level
My grown kids love this with a chocolate ganache and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. Sprinkle a little espresso cocoa salt over that for a decadent dessert.
We grew up eating this cake. We called it Wacky Cake. My mom just made it for us the other day and brought it over! Cant believe I came across this❤️
Jill!!! That looks amazing! What kind frosting did you use!! That looks so good!
Hello- are the nutrition stats for the whole cake? My daughter has a very special, restricted diet and this looks like a great option for her! Im so excited!
This is what my Mom made when we were young. She called it 3 Hole Cake
So the frosting not depression? Lol. I make this all the time , if a treat is desired. Just use a cereal bowl, for one serving. Many flavors, apple/sauce, jam, cinnamon. Kind of like mug cakes. Another way us just use cake mixes and use water. No oil needed either. No sugar, if u want to top with a sweet.
We called it Wacky Chocolate Cake and mom frosted it with 7 minute frosting. So good! I’m curious, what type of frosting is spread over the cake in the photo? Looks like a whipped topping. Your 5 minute recipe looked different. Thanks!