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.
Isabell
Can you make carrot cake into cupcakes?
Mary Neumann
Yes you can, Isabell!
Bonnie
This is an amazing recipe! I’ve been making chocolate crazy cake from a recipe my grandma gave me when I first got married but it never occurred to me that I could make a carrot crazy cake. My daughter is vegan (allergic to eggs & dairy), so I made this for our Easter dessert. Both the vegan and non-vegan alike loved it. My husband has already requested that I make it again. I am allergic to tree nuts, however, so I omitted them and added 1/2 c of well-drained crushed pineapple. Delish!
Lori Bogdanovich
I love your recipes.
Kathy Phillips
This was some if the best carrot cake my husband or I have ever had! We will definitely be making this again, & again 😉
We just substituted lactose free cream cheese for the cream cheese frosting. I am lactose intolerant.
Sarah
Can I sub the water for pineapple?
Mary Neumann
Sarah – I am not sure it will work,the cake may be flat, but it may be worth an experiment.
Linda
Can this cake be made as a layered cake? I imagine the recipe would be doubled?
Mary Neumann
Yes,Linda! Just double the recipe.
Here is the chocolate crazy cake layered -https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/two-layer-crazy-cake-no-eggs-milk-or-butter/
Sashi
This recipe is a keeper. I was doubtful at 1st as the batter was a bit runny but it turn out perfectly after baking for 45min in 170C. It was soft, not dense. I used a mixture of cake flour and plain flour. Thanks for sharing this recipe. 😍😍
Shelley
This cake was amazing!! I used gluten free flour, increased the carrots to half cup, reduced the sugar by a third and replaced most of the oil with homemade root beer applesauce. IMy son agrees this is our new carrot cake, and we did use the basic cream cheese frosting recipe.
Terry
What did I do wrong? I did make the mistake of using 1/2 cup carrots rather than 3/4 cup. The cake rose on the sides and sunk in the middle. It didn’t want to bake completely, even with l10+ minutes over time.
Mary Neumann
So sorry to hear, Terry, it sounds like your baking soda and vinegar may have expired. The number one reason for a Crazy Cake not rising is expired baking soda.Baking soda and vinegar are what make the cake rise.
Linda S McBee
This is a wonderful recipe. I have reduced the amount of sugar to a heaping 1/3 cup and it is wonderful!
Linda Rackel
I absolutely love this recipe. I have made it numerous times and decided it’s about time to let you know! It is just right size and goes together quickly.
Thank you for sharing!
Louise Hale
I made this with King Arthur Gluten free measure for measure all purpose flour and it was delicious!! I also used Lactose free cream cheese to make the frosting.
I think this is my new favorite cake. Since we have an abundance of carrots in our garden, I’ll be making this again 😋
Kim
Love. Crszy cake. I have made this cake and it never fails. Always good.
Tera Weaver
What size pan did you use?
TerryF
Very easy and very good!
Lesley Hartwell
This cake is fabulous, super easy, super eatable. I personally found the icing far too sweet though.
Nancy
I love these crazy cake recipes. I’ve made the lemon and carrot cakes and both were excellent. I’ve read where applesauce can be used instead of oil, in baking and wonder if anyone has tried it with these “crazy” cakes?
Ginger
Can this crazy carrot cake be baked in layers?
Jamie
Yes I did one for Easter.. turned out great
Melissa
Has anyone tried this with long fermented sourdough? I’m wondering how to adjust the recipe for that. Thank you.
Marti
This was quite good. I am allergic to dairy and by myself during the pandemic and this was really perfect! Thanks!
Traci
This is the best vegan carrot cake you will ever taste!! Non vegans dont miss anything.its so yummy!
Cindy Turner
Fabulous recipe! I did not have raisins, and used half spelt flour, turned out wonderful. Added cream cheese icing.
Deborah Heinrichs
I am a bariatric surgery PT.And this sounds like a AWESOME FIX FOR A DESERT.
THANK U SO MUCH.
Mona
Can you use sugar substitute for this recipe ?
Mary McMeekin
How might I adjust recipe to use honey I stead of sugar?
MJ
Check out the King Arthur Flour website – they have a great guide on baking with liquid sweeteners.. They say that honey is sweeter than sugar, so you’ll likely want 3/4 c honey for every 1 c sugar. Since you are adding extra liquid, you’ll want to reduce the water called for (from 1 c to 3/4 c). So – 3/4 c honey, and reduce the water to 3/4 c
However, 350 is the max you should be baking with honey, so you may want to consider maple syrup instead (I’m going to try on Saturday!).