VANILLA CRAZY CAKE (NO EGGS, MILK, BUTTER OR BOWLS)
CRAZY CAKE, also known as Wacky Cake & Depression Cake – Yes, you can make cake with No Eggs, Milk, Butter, Bowls or Mixers! This cake is super moist and delicious. Go-to recipe for egg/dairy allergies. Great activity to do with kids. Recipe dates back to the Great Depression. It’s darn good cake!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VANILLA CRAZY CAKE
All-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, pure vanilla extract, vegetable oil (or canola), white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) and water. That’s all you need!
HOW TO MAKE VANILLA CRAZY CAKE (NO EGGS, MILK OR BUTTER)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8×8 square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix first 4 dry ingredients in a greased 8″ square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger (see #3 in photo below). Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth. Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting.

VANILLA CRAZY CAKE (NO EGGS, MILK OR BUTTER)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups flour + 3 Tablespoons (all-purpose)
- 1 Cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1 Cup water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix first 4 dry ingredients in a greased 8″ square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger (see #3 in photo below). Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth. Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting. Enjoy!
Chocolate Ganache (This recipe is for a 9×13 cake – I doubled the cake recipe)
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Place heavy cream in medium size bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until it begins to bubble/boil. When it starts to boil, remove from microwave, add chocolate chips and allow to sit and start to melt (about 1 1/2 minutes). When ready, mix well until chocolate is silky smooth. If it’s not smooth, it may need another 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave – do not boil. Mix until silky smooth. Once ready, add vanilla mix well and allow to sit for a few minutes then mix again and pour over cake and spread evenly. Allow ganache to set a few hours before serving.
More Frosting Recipes
- For a great easy chocolate frosting (my favorite) head over to THE YUMMY LIFE, for a ONE MINUTE FROSTINGrecipe!
- For a dairy free frosting recipe, head over to Oh She Glows for a simple 2-ingredient chocolate fudge frosting recipe!
- Great Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting recipe from The Beating Hearth!
- Vegan Fluffy Buttercream frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting(contains dairy)
TIPS
For a stronger vanilla taste, you could add a 1/2 teaspoon more of vanilla for a total of 2 1/2 teaspoons.
You can double this recipe, just use a 9×13 baking pan.
You can also mix the batter in a bowl for neater, easier mixing. Be sure to follow the directions the same way – mixing the dry ingredients then making the depressions for the wet ingredients. Don’t forget to grease you pan.
Although I have not used Gluten Free flour mixes for this recipe, many people have and said the cake turns out wonderful! “Yes it is yummy and very moist. It even works with gf flour mixes!”
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!