Lemon Blueberry Crazy Cake (a.k.a. Wacky Cake), is a vintage Depression Era cake that has no eggs, no milk and no butter! One of the EASIEST, budget-friendly cakes you can make. Full of tangy lemon flavor, bursting with juicy blueberries, you won’t believe how moist and delicious this cake is!
LEMON BLUEBERRY CRAZY CAKE – A DEPRESSION ERA RECIPE
This moist and delicious lemon blueberry cake is made in ONE BOWL without eggs, milk or butter – you don’t even need a mixer! I adapted this wonderful cake from the cherished Chocolate Crazy Cake. The original vintage chocolate cake was created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were hard to come by. Because this cake is egg and dairy-free, it’s a great recipe to have on hand for people with egg and dairy allergies or vegans. But you don’t have to have allergies or be vegan to fall in love with this fantastic, allergy and budget-friendly cake!
Read Great Reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL RECIPE)
This awesome budget friendly cake is made with pantry staples, blueberries and one lemon!
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- lemon zest
- fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed)
- fresh lemon juice (for the glaze topping, optional)
- pure vanilla extract
- pure lemon extract
- apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- canola oil (sub with vegetable or olive oil)
- water
HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS LEMON BLUEBERRY CAKE FROM SCRATCH
You are going to love how easy it is to make this One Bowl Lemon Blueberry Crazy Cake!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. then spray an 8″ square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combined the sugar and lemon zest – mix well, making sure the zest is evenly distributed with the sugar, then add the remaining dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt), and mix well.
Next, make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla and lemon extracts in the other, and then the oil in the third larger depression.
Next, pour water over top. Mix well until smooth.
Last, add blueberries, gently folding into batter, then pour into prepared baking dish.
Finally, bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35–40 minutes. To be sure the cake is ready, check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Remove from oven.
Serve warm, fresh out of the oven, or you can allow to cool before serving.
This cake is wonderful served plain, or you can top it with a simple lemon glaze (see glaze recipe in the note section of the recipe card below), your favorite lemon or vanilla frosting, or dust with powdered sugar.
Store in refrigerator tightly covered up to 4 days.
PINNABLE IMAGE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR LEMON BLUEBERRY CRAZY CAKE:
Yes! Make sure they are thawed before adding to the batter.
Because there are no eggs, you want the baking soda and vinegar to combine and react/interact last, right before baking, this is what makes the cake rise. Some people think you don’t need to do this, I always have whenever I make a Crazy Cake. It’s a quick step, and all the crazy cakes I have created over the years have ALWAYS turned out perfect.
Yes, vinegar is a must in a crazy cake recipe, because it’s an important 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.
You can use apple cider vinegar and also white vinegar.
For Lemon Blueberry Crazy Cake, you can use canola oil, vegetable oil and olive oil.
Yes! Simply use a 9×13 baking pan.
The cake get its moistness from the oil, and becomes fluffy from the chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda.
TIPS FOR MAKING LEMON BLUEBERRY CRAZY CAKE
- You can use fresh or frozen blueberries that have been thawed.
- Crazy Cakes can be made with Gluten Free mixes! Many people have commented they’ve made the cakes with Gluten Free mixes, and they have turned out wonderful.
- This recipe can also be made into cupcakes!
- Check out the full list of Crazy Cake flavors HERE!
- This cake is great plain and can also be topped with a simple lemon glaze, your favorite frosting or dusted with powdered sugar.
- For a great dairy-free buttercream frosting, The Minimalist Baker has a great vegan recipe you will want to add to your recipe box!
- For a fantastic quick and easy Buttercream Frosting, be sure to check out a great one from Sprinkles Cupcakes, a favorite go-to.
MORE DELICIOUS EASY PANTRY CRAZY CAKE RECIPES
One more recipe to check out for my blueberry fan’s – The Country Cook’s Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits! So easy to make…one of my all-time favorite biscuits!!
Lemon Blueberry Crazy Cake (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter!)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Wet Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 5 Tablespoons canola oil (or vegetable or olive oil)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. then spray an 8″ square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combined the sugar and lemon zest – mix well, making sure the zest is evenly distributed with the sugar, then add the remaining dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt), and mix well.
- Next, make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla and lemon extracts in the other, and the oil in the third larger depression. Next, pour water over top. Mix well until smooth.
- Last, add blueberries, gently folding into batter, then pour into prepared baking dish.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35–40 minutes. To be sure the cake is ready, check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Remove from oven.
- Serve warm, fresh out of the oven, or allow to cool.
- This cake is wonderful served plain, topped with a simple lemon glaze (see note section in recipe card for glaze recipe), your favorite lemon or vanilla frosting, or dusted with powdered sugar.
- Store in refrigerator tightly covered up to 4 days.
Notes
Easy Lemon Glaze Recipe
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Nancy Young
I’ve made many of your crazy cakes. All are very good but Lemon Blueberry is my favourite…can I make this as a loaf (9”x5”) and if so, what temperature and how long? 😋
Mary Neumann
Hello Nancy, Lemon Blueberry is one of top favorites, too! I have never made this in a loaf pan. If you try, I would bake it at the same temp and begin checking the center of the loaf with a toothpick around around 50 to 55 minutes. It may take up to an hour or more to bake through due to the depth of the pan. If you do make it into a loaf, please stop by and let me know how it turned out and how long it took to bake. Happy baking!
MaryLou Vocke
First Crazy Cake I ever made and it was DELICIOUS!!!! Will try
other flavors, but need to know if and how you can freeze it.
Mary Neumann
Yes you can, Marylou, but it’s best to freeze it without frosting.
Check out these tips for freezing cake: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/how-to-freeze-cakes/
Shirley
I made the vanilla cake— yes, should have checked centre— will do next time for sure. Is it possible to use less sugar?—seems so high for the amount of flour. Always looking to use less sugar.
Nancy
I have made this several times as cake and it’s delicious. Could I make it as a loaf, 9 x 5 tin? Would I need to adjust baking time?
Beth
I made gluten free cupcakes for a baby shower and these were super delicious. I used gluten free flour, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice for the cupcakes and powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice for a drizzle on top. I put them in pretty baking wrappers and kept them in the refrigerator for a day. So moist and yummy.
Heather
Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract?
Thanks!
Mary Neumann
When I created my Lemon Crazy Cake version (just lemon) over 11 years ago, I tried using just lemon juice and zest, I could not get the taste, texture and rise I was looking for. Next, I used lemon extract and got what I was hoping for. You could give it a go and see if you like the texture and flavor, Heather.
Lori L
I made this for a luncheon and doubled the recipe for a 13 x 9. It worked very well, watched every 5 minutes at end till center was done. I don’t like lemon and I found it delicious! The zest and blueberries were great. They asked for more but it was gone!
Renee
Thank you so much for sharing this. My daughter-in-law who is nursing her baby has eliminated all dairy because of his eczema and thought she wouldn’t have a birthday cake this year! But I’m going to make this for her and I’m so excited. I wondered if you have ever tried making it in layers? I’m guessing it’s probably too moist to hold up like that? But I found a wonderful vegan buttercream recipe that I wanted to try because I like to decorate my cakes. Thank you again so much for sharing these! I’ve made wacky cocoa cakes for years, but didn’t know you could do all these other varieties.
Mary Neumann
Hello Renee,
I am SO HAPPY you found my Crazy Cake recipes. I have not made a layer cake with this one I created, but I have done a layer cake many times with the original chocolate recipe from the Depression era – you can see that here: https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/two-layer-crazy-cake-no-eggs-milk-or-butter/
I think the cake may hold up in layers using a solid/thick frosting, just be sure to place it in the fridge. 🙂
Just in case you didn’t see my page with all my Crazy Cake flavors to date, be sure to check them out here. I update this page as I add new flavors.
https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/crazy-cakes/
Happy birthday to your daughter-in-law and happy baking!
Donna
Moist, lemony, delicious….and almost gone!:(
Melinda L Ruwe
Just made this and the center pieces did not cook all the way. Was worried about overlooking the outside edges. Any suggestions? Also can this be made into muffins?
Mary Neumann
Hello, Melinda,
Be sure to bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven for even baking and check the center to make sure it comes out clean. If you already took the cake out of the oven, there is not much you can do. Next time, if the center is not ready and your oven is running hot (browing the edges too quickly), loosely cover the cake with foil, you can reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake an additional 10 mins or so until the toothpick comes out clean.
Yes, the batter can be made into cupcakes/muffins. Bake at the same temp, but you will need to adjust the baking time to the size of the muffins – around 20 minutes, just keep an eye on them, and check the center with a toothpick.
Hope that helps. This is one of my favorite cakes, hope you love it too!
Gabbie
Can you double ingredients and make a larger cake in a Pyrex?
Mary Neumann
Yes – double the recipe and use a 9X13 inch baking pan, Gabbie.
Chris Cole
Can you use applesauce instead of oil?
Mary Neumann
I have not tried applesauce, Chris – might be worth a try.
Kim
I always substitute applesauce for the oil in cakes. You will never notice the difference. It’s still really moist.
Judi
Do you have any nutrition breakdowns on this wonderful cake? Looking for sodium and carb. Thank you.
Mary Neumann
Hello Judy – I do not, but here is helpful calculator to bookmark and have ob hand: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
You can read why I do not share nutritional info on my site, here, shared by a fellow blogger: https://southernbite.com/heres-why-i-dont-post-nutritional-information-with-my-recipes/
I hope you love my Lemon Blueberry Crazy Cake – it’s a favorite!!
Diane LaBarge
why can’t I just mix everything up instead of making 3 wells?
Mary Neumann
Because there are no eggs, you want the baking soda and vinegar to combine and react/interact last, right before baking, this is what makes the cake rise. Some people think you don’t need to do this, I always have whenever I make a Crazy Cake. It’s a quick step, and all the crazy cakes I have created over the years have ALWAYS turned out perfect.
Cheryl HEAFNER
Sounds great! I cannot wait to make it.
Beth
I’ve made the carrot cake twice for a crowd, as I was asked to repeat! I dont recall it asking for the wells and Im a little confused by the 3.
I was thinking to use actual lemon juice but I saw your comments on the flavor difference with the extract. It’s quite amazing what can be done with minimal ingredients and made allergy friendly. Thank you for all of your ideas