Read rave reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!

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More cake flavors have been added since this post. Click on the photo below to head to the recipes section for links to all the flavors. There are mug cake versions too!

 

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.”Yes it is yummy and very moist. It even works with GF flour mixes!” 

 

 

For years my youngest one never had a real cake for her birthday. I know there are worse things in life, but no cake – that just stinks. She never had REAL cake until my good friend shared her mom’s Chocolate Crazy Cake, also known as Wacky Cake and Depression Cake.  (Original post date for this recipe – March, 2013)

 

Within minutes of my friend sharing the recipe, I whipped up the cake while talking to her on the phone. I could not believe how easy it was to make. No bowls. No mess. I mixed everything right in the baking pan. AWESOME.

When the cake was done, frosted, ready to eat, I could not believe how moist it was. Over the years we tried other egg-free recipes and replacements, they were just okay, nothing great. THIS CAKE is crazy good, my daughter and family loved it!

From that day on, it was good-bye to the same old ice cream cake we had EVERY SINGLE birthday….hello yummy REAL chocolate cake with ice cream on top.

 

I did a little research on Crazy and Wacky Cake recipes. These cakes were created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were very hard to come by. The cakes are also known as Depression Cakes. Remember my favorite childhood Depression sandwich my grandparents made? People were pretty resourceful during those hard times. It took some creativity and baking science to create a cake without eggs or butter. You don’t even need a mixer. Genius!

 

The LA Times has a great article on Crazy Cake: 

“Mad for crazy cake – It contains no butter or eggs, is a cinch to make and comes out rich, moist and delicious. What’s not to like?“

Pinnable Image 

 

Read more rave reviews from people who tried this cake on Pinterest! 

 

Chocolate Crazy Cake Recipe (No Eggs, Milk, Butter or Bowls)

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups flour (all-purpose)
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
• 1 Cup sugar (All purpose sugar – Granulated Pure Cane Sugar)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp.  salt

• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract
• 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 Cup water

Directions (picture tutorial below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Mix first 5 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!

FROSTING RECIPES

• For a great easy chocolate frosting (my favorite) head over to THE YUMMY LIFE, for a ONE MINUTE FROSTING recipe!

• 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!

TIPS

• You can double this recipe, just use a 9×13 baking pan.

• Mix 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 your pan. You can also make cupcakes – be sure to adjust baking time.

• Google Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free Crazy Cake.

• Many have shared that this recipe is great served warm or cold with just sprinkling powdered sugar on top.

• This cake is also a great activity to do with kids.

• For cupcakes, please head over for my Crazy Cupcakes recipe.

Many people have asked if I have a Crazy Banana Cake recipe. I don’t have one yet, but stay tuned. In the meantime, here is a CRAZY BANANA CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING recipe that’s not crazy because it’s dairy and egg free (this recipe contains eggs, butter and buttermilk), but crazy because of how it is made… and it’s amazing!