Crazy Carrot Cake (a.k.a. Wacky Cake) is a Depression Era-inspired cake that is made with no eggs, no milk, and no butter! One of the EASIEST, tastiest, budget-friendly carrot cakes made with pantry staples – it’s super moist and absolutely delicious!
A Depression Era Cake
You will be surprised how moist this carrot cake is without eggs, milk and butter! I adapted this delicious cake from the Original Chocolate Crazy Cake. The original chocolate cake was created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were hard to come by. It took some creativity and baking science to create a cake without eggs or butter – you don’t even need a bowl or mixer. Genius! And because this cake is egg and dairy free, it’s a great recipe for people with egg and dairy allergies.
Read great reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!
Original Post Date, October 25, 2015. Post updated, March 17, 2023.
TIPS FOR MAKING CRAZY CARROT CAKE
- For this Crazy Carrot Cake, it’s easier to mix everything in a bowl then pour the batter in a prepared baking pan. Unlike the other Crazy Cakes, you do not need to make depressions for the wet ingredients due to the thickness of the batter with the carrots, walnuts and raisins.
- Crazy Cake can be made with Gluten Free mixes! Many people have commented they have made this cake with Gluten Free mixes, and it’s wonderful.
- More cake flavors have been added since this post! Check out the whole list HERE! There are mug cake versions too!
- For a great dairy-free buttercream frosting, The Minimalist Baker has a great vegan recipe!
- Sugar Spun Run has a great Cream Cheese Frosting recipe – “The Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe”
- For a great go-to Basic Buttercream Frosting, check out Winterborn’s recipe shared on allrecipes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
It is called Crazy Cake (aka, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake) because it doesn’t require any eggs, milk or butter, or mixers – which is kinda crazy for cake making!
Vinegar is part of the leavening process! The vinegar reacts with the baking soda, which is what makes the cake rise. You don’t taste a hint of the vinegar in the finished cake!
Yes! Just use a 9×13 baking pan.
The cake’s moistness comes from the oil, and it becomes so fluffy because of the chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE CRAZY CARROT CAKE (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL RECIPE)
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground cloves
- ground allspice
- ground nutmeg
- carrots – peeled, finely grated
- walnuts, chopped
- golden raisins
- white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- pure vanilla extract
- canola oil (or vegetable oil)
- water
How To Make Crazy Carrot Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease an 8″ x 8″ square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the first 8 dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg) and blend well.
Next, add carrots, walnuts and golden raisins – blend well. Last, add the wet ingredients – vinegar, vanilla and oil, then pour the water over top – mix well. Pour in greased baking dish.
Bake on middle rack of oven for *35 to 45 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean, remove when ready. Allow to cool and top with your favorite vanilla, cream cheese or buttercream frosting. Enjoy!
Please Note: Oven baking times will vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.
WANT MORE CRAZY CAKE RECIPES?
My daughter declared this her new favorite Crazy Cake flavor, next to chocolate. I hope this becomes a new favorite for you as well.
Crazy Carrot Cake (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter!)
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups plus 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup carrots, peeled, finely grated
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup golden raisins
WET INGREDIENTS
- 5 Tablespoons canola oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease an 8″ x 8″ square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the first 8 dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg) and blend well. Next, add carrots, walnuts and golden raisins – blend well.
- Last, add the wet ingredients – vinegar, vanilla and oil, then pour the water over top – mix well. Pour in greased baking dish.
- Bake on middle rack of oven for *35 to 45 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean, remove when ready. Please Note: Oven baking times will vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.
- Allow to cool and top with your favorite vanilla, cream cheese or buttercream frosting.
Notes
-
- For a great dairy-free buttercream frosting, The Minimalist Baker has a great vegan recipe!
- Sugar Spun Run has a great Cream Cheese Frosting recipe – “The Best Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe.”
- For a great go-to Basic Buttercream Frosting, check out Winterborn’s recipe shared on allrecipes.
Jacqueline McAllister
Hi there, I have made your other crazy cakes, they are delicious. I am wanting to make a carrot cake and wondering i I can use whole wheat flour?
Mary Neumann
I have not used Whole Wheat Flour, but what I have learned from so many people who have tried my Crazy Cake recipes over the years, they are super adaptable – they even are wonderful GF. It might be worth an experiment, Jaqueline!
I found several Chocolate Wacky/Crazy Cake recipes online using Whole Wheat Flour. Here is one from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/wacky-chocolate-cake/rcp-20049951
Ali
Love all your adaptations to original wacky cake! Made this today for my DIL and wondering do I need to refrigerate if I frost with the cream cheese frosting noted here?
Mary Neumann
Hello Ali, So great to hear you are loving the Crazy Cakes!!
Yes, if you use a cream cheese frosting, you will need to refrigerate the cake.
Dianne
Trying your carrot crazy cake..all other crazy cakes I’ve made call for 1 tbsp of vinegar.. just wanted to confirm the carrot recipe only calls for 1 top vinegar.. thank you for your wonderful crazy cake recipes.
Mary Neumann
Yes, it’s one teaspoon for this cake, Dianne, but you can use 1 tablespoon too, and it will work just as well, and you will not taste a hint of the vinegar. Happy baking!
Julie Griffin
LOVED this one. I did top it with a butter pecan frosting b/c I had omitted nuts and raisins in the cake. My frosting isn’t very “depression,” but it would’ve been good with a simple glaze or whatever. I don’t understand the comment about bland. I ate a piece plain before frosting and I don’t love anything “light” or low on flavor for dessert – the richer the better. I still thought this was great!
TJ
Very good carrot cake! Simple quick, cheap to make. Definitely make again.
Beebop
How about a red velvet crazy cake?
Teresa
Hands down, absolutely the BEST carrot cake recipe. I’ve been searching for DECADES to find one for my husband’s birthday since Carrot Cake is his favorite and now, this is my go-to, second year in a row. Thank you for this recipe…always a home run. 🙂
Mary Neumann
So wonderful to hear, Teresa! This recipe was created almost 10 years ago during a visit to see my sister in Alaska. It’s one of my favorite crazy cakes…I’ve created many more flavors since then. You can see all of them here: https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/crazy-cakes/
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing.
Happy birthday to your husband and happy baking!
Kam
After trying MANY carrot cake recipes every year for my dad’s birthday, I’ve made this twice now and it’s gonna be my go to recipe. Comes out moist and good!
My mom would prefer no raisins, would that make it too dry?
Mary Neumann
Hello Kim,
So wonderful to hear!
You can just skip the raisins – it will still be delicious and moist!
I have several new cake flavors – Fresh Apple Crazy Cake, Pumpkin Crazy Cake, Apple Cider Crazy Cake, Banana Bread Crazy Cake, Gingerbread Crazy Cake, Lemon Blueberry…
You can see all my Crazy Cake flavors here: https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/crazy-cakes/
Happy Baking!
Gerry
Hi, Mary,
If I double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan, how long would I bake it? Thank You!
Mary Neumann
Hello Gerry – Bake the cake 350 degrees f for approximately 35–40 mins. Check the center of the cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Happy Baking!
Sharon
Can I substitute applesauce for the oil?
Mary Neumann
I have not tried applesauce in place of oil for this cake, Sharon. It may be a great experiment in the kitchen.
Jack
Can I make this cake in a loaf pan if I halve the ingredients? And bake for how long?
Mary Neumann
Hello Jack,
Bake the cake at the same temp and time, just be sure to check the center of the cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
Mimi
Has anyone tried with GF flour?
Mary Neumann
Hi Mimi – many people have made my Crazy Cake recipes using GF flour with great results.
Adobe
Can I ask why this cake needs that extra 3 tablespoons of flour, unlike other crazy cakes? Is it because of the carrots?
Mary Neumann
Hi Adobe, the extra flour is from experimenting and getting it just right. This carrot cake has a lot more ingredients than most of the crazy cakes I adapted from the Depression Era Chocolate Cake.
Rita
This the best cake ever. Everyone that I’ve made it for wants the recipe
Mary Neumann
So wonderful to hear, Rita! Thank you so much for sharing!
Audrey
Made this for my fiance’s birthday as he is allergic to dairy. It turned out so good! I also used the cream cheese frosting recipe with dairy free cream cheese. All delicious!
Maria Peavy
Made this cake, but also added, crushed pineapple and reduced the water by half. Delicious got rave reviews from both frosting and cake!
Donna M. Mueller
This cake seems very bland. None of the rich flavor I was expecting. Disappointing.
Mary Neumann
Sorry to hear, Donna. It’s one of my favorite Crazy Cakes of all time. If you have certain flavors you like in Carrot Cake, this recipe is really easy to adapt, adjusting the spices. Other’s have even added pineapple, it that’s a must in your carrot cake.
Brenda
If I was to put pineapple in. How much? Gonna make for daughters 19th birthday. Boyfriend allergic to dairy eggs and nuts.
Mary Neumann
Hi Brenda,
I personally have not tried this cake with Pineapple, others have. One or two people left comments here and many more on social media. Below in the comments, in a reply to Nana – Unknown wrote: “I just made it for Easter dinner using a 15 oz can of crushed pineapple in juice and omitted the water. I used a 10 oz tube pan and it turned it perfectly!”
This might be a fun experiment in your kitchen, Brenda. I plan to test the cake with pineapple in the near future.
You can see all my Crazy Cake flavors here, all egg free: https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/crazy-cakes/
Glenna Stewart
I was wondering if I could use a can of crushed pineapple instead of water?
Sherry
Just made your chocolate wacky cake and frosting earlier today for dessert tonight. Everyone loves it! But after seeing the carrot cake, I think I will agree with tour daughter that this will be our new favorite. Thanks for sharing and have a great day!
Christine Johnson
Just wondering how many calories per serving
Thanks
Mary Neumann
Hi Christine,
Here is a great tool online (Recipe Nutrition Calculator) to help with nutrition info, it’s great to have on hand for recipes you may adapt with different ingredients for taste or diet reasons.
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Lynn
Ohhh MYYY Gawd! Made this little cake for my husband’s birthday. There are no words to describe how delicious it is! I made the featured cream cheese frosting as well. This cake is definitely a new favorite. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Excellent. Fantastic. Perfect.
Mary Neumann
🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, Lynn!
Lynn
😄 I’ve made the snicker doodle cake several times, and it’s a fave with the grandkids. But I am in LOVE with the carrot cake recipe. I’ll make it again and again. It’s so easy to make, the texture is perfect, and it’s very moist. It’s a winner!
Mary Neumann
Smiling ear to ear, Lynn! Thanks so much for taking the time to review!
Kay Azar
Can I make these as mini cupcakes?
Mary Neumann
I don’t see why not. Just be sure to prepare your pans well.
Danni
I think I went wrong somewhere I have double and triple checked the recipe but my batter was full on bread dough (I had to knead it to combine it) it’s not done baking yet but upon reading the comments I fear this won’t be pretty
Mary Neumann
Oh no, Danni – did you forget to add the water? The batter is not like bread dough.