Snickerdoodle Crazy Cake (a.k.a. Wacky Cake) is a Depression Era cake that requires no eggs, milk, or butter—you don’t even need a bowl or mixer! It’s one of the easiest, most inexpensive cakes made with pantry staples. This cake is super moist and delicious, loaded with all the flavors of the beloved cinnamon and sugar Snickerdoodle Cookie.
The Original Viral Snickerdoodle Crazy Cake Recipe from Sweet Little Bluebird.
A Depression Era Cake
You are going to fall in love with this super easy, budget friendly Snickerdoodle Cake made with ingredients right from the pantry!
You’ll be so surprised at how moist this cake is, even without eggs, milk, or butter! I adapted this fantastic Snickerdoodle Cake from the Original Chocolate Crazy Cake. The original chocolate cake was created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk, and butter were scarce. People were incredibly resourceful during those challenging times. It took 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-free 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 (photos)! More Reviews
Original Post Date, March 2, 2020. Updated, March 30, 2023.
TIPS FOR MAKING CRAZY CAKE FROM SCRATCH
- If you don’t want to mix the batter in the baking dish, you can combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then pour the batter in to a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
- Crazy Cakes can be made with Gluten Free mixes! Many people have commented they have made this cake with Gluten Free mixes, and it’s wonderful.
- This can also be made into cupcakes!
- More cake flavors have been added since this post! Check out the whole list HERE!
- Check out my Snickerdoodle Mug Cake version.
- Cream of tartar is optional.
FREQUENTLY ASKED CRAZY CAKE QUESTIONS:
It’s called Crazy Cake (aka, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake) because it doesn’t need any eggs, milk or butter, mixers or bowls, 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!
No, cream of tartar is optional. It is used to give the cake the signature tangy taste in snickerdoodle cookies, not as a leavening agent. You still get all the wonderful cinnamon and sugar flavor of the cookies if you leave cream of tartar out. Learn the difference between Snickerdoodle and Sugar Cookies.
Ingredients Needed To Make Snickerdoodle Crazy Cake (See Recipe Card Below for Full Recipe)
Made with pantry staples, this Snickerddoodle Cake is a favorite go-to cake when low on supplies!
- All-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- baking soda
- cream of tartar (optional)
- salt
- vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- pure vanilla extract
- water
HOW TO MAKE SNICKERDOODLE CRAZY CAKE
This is the EASIEST cake to make! Mix everything right in the pan or in one bowl! Snickerdodole Crazy Cake takes minutes to prepare.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8″x 8″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt) in prepared baking dish until well blended. Next, make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Add the vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other, and the vegetable oil in the third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth. *I use a fork to mix.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 35 minutes. While the cake is baking, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the topping.
When the cake is ready, check the cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
While the cake is still warm fresh out of the oven, sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over top.
Take this delicious Snickerdoodle Cake to the next level by adding caramel sauce over top. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream makes a perfect pairing.
MORE PANTRY CAKES AND SNICKERDOODLE RECIPES
Snickerdoodle Crazy Cake (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter!)
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar *optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- 5 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 cup water
CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8"x 8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt) in prepared baking dish until well blended.
- Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Add the vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other, and the vegetable oil in the third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth. *I use a fork to mix.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 35 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the topping.
- Check center of cake with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. While the cake is still warm fresh out of the oven, sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over top. Allow to cool.
Notes
- *Cream of tartar is not necessary if you do not have it on hand. Cream of tartar is used to give the distinctive tang taste in Snickerdoodle cookies, not as a leavening agent. You still get all the cinnamon and sugar flavor if you leave cream of tartar out.
- Make sure your baking soda and vinegar are fresh – they are what make the cake rise.
- You can top the cake with warm caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- The cake does not need to be kept refrigerated if it’s not frosted. Cover and it will last 3 days. If it is frosted, it will need to be kept refrigerated. Cover and refrigerate for up to 6 days.
- If you don’t want to mix this in the baking dish, you can combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then pour the batter into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
- You can use vegetable oil or canola oil
- You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Phyllis Beil
Always looking for small easy cake recipes. Large cakes go to waste here. Thank you.
robinakagoatmom
While out of eggs and milk wanting a sweet planned to make. And even after friends rescued with milk and eggs still had to try for my snickerdoodle loving husband. Pronounced a 10 plus by the same man and I give it a rave review also. Used refined smell free coconut oil other wise followed recipe 100%. Great instructions and loved having the visuals also. Was so easy and great hint to mix with a fork. Passing on to all my family and friends. Thank you!
Lana
Has any tried this recipe using whole wheat flour instead of white flour?
Amanda
I am thrilled to find these recipes! I have a wheat corn and dairy allergy. I’m wondering what flour substitutes you’d recommend? And what oil i could swap for the veg/canola? Thank you x
Gloria
I have made this cake twice now. My father-in-law tells me it is a “really good” cake – high praise from him! My husband loves it! He suggested adding apples, so I chopped up two apples, sauted them in a little butter and brown sugar (about a 1 teaspoon each), and then added them to the batter – it was great! Thank you for this simple, but totally delicious cake recipe!
Mary Neumann
Great minds think alike – I was planning on adding apple to my next cake!! 🙂 Happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Gloria! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing.
Mary Helen Carrillo
If you want a vinegar substitute for baking, use lemon juice. If you require ¼ cup white vinegar for baking, replace it with ⅓ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, or ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. If you need a vinegar substitute for cooking, use lemon juice.
Kass
If you use substitute sugar (e.g. stevia) will the results be the same?
Andrea Whitworth
This recipe reminds me of a spice cake my Oma made when I was a child. I absolutely love this cake and thank you for sharing and bringing me a fond memory. 😊
Jeanette Wilde
I am allergic to vinegar – is there a substitute?
Jason
This is a delicious depression era cake. The chocolate cake is the recipe I was afraid I had lost after my grandmother had passed away. Thank you so much for bringing back a family tradition. 🙂
Michelle
This was our dessert tonight. Everyone loved it! I am not a fan of caramel and we didnt have ice cream to serve with it so I sauteed chopped apples on the stovetop with a little cinnamon, brown sugar and butter. Yummy! Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Molly
Is there any way to make this gluten free?
Mary Neumann
Hi Molly, People have used GF mixes with success for the original Chocolate Crazy Cake and with many of the new Crazy Cake flavors I have created.
Check out this post made with GF flour–> https://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/how-to-make/crazy-cake/
All my Crazy Cake Flavors –> https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/crazy-cakes/
Tina
Use gr flour
Deb Carmicheal
I have always loved Snickerdoodle Cookies, bet this is just as amazing. Will try it soon
Andrea Miller
This cake was really good!!
Elaine Herman
Hi I just made this it didn’t come out right. It basically cooked the top and bottom half was still dry ingredients. Any idea how I messed up.
Nicole
Made this cake for my husband yesterday and he can’t stop eating it. The batter was a bit lumpy and not runny or smooth so it came out a bit more dense than I like but it’s still a delicious cake that I e saved to make again!
Bern
So I follow this recipe and my batter was lumpy not watery as shown in your pics. What did I do wrong? Added more water just in case but still lumpy
Charity Custer
I dont have vingor i have the rest ingredieance
Amanda
Just made this cake since I love snickerdoodle cookies. Oh my goodness, it is so delicious! So moist. I put warm caramel topping on it and oh my…definitely a keeper!
Helen Cummings
Have you made it with nuts? If I add them in the batter ..or on top…will it rise as nicely as your did? Thanks..
Mary Neumann
You can add nuts, Helen. I have a carrot crazy cake with walnuts, you can see the recipe here: https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/crazy-carrot-cake-no-eggs-milk-or-butter/
Jacki Merritt
If you wanted to make this using a 9X13″ instead of an 8X8″ pan, what would the measurements be for the ingredients?
Mary Neumann
Hi Jacki – you would just double the recipe and bake at the same temp. You may need to adjust the baking time, test with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
Linda H
Wow! Just tried this cake and I am amazed. Really great flavor and so easy!! I cook a lot and I love trying new recipes. But I am not usually one to comment. But I HAD to this time. Wow! This cake is the bomb. Sounded too simple and I almost didn’t try it, but I was running short on time. I am soooo glad that I did. Thanks for sharing this with us. Will make this again and again.
Mary Neumann
Linda,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a sweet review! I am thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed my new crazy cake favor!
Lynn Edwards
Just in the oven now and looking good! First attempt so let’s see if it tastes as good as it looks n smells!! 🥮
Mary Neumann
Lynn, Happy baking, I hope you enjoyed the cake!
Lynn Edwards
I loved it but my husband didnt! He commented on its consistency! He said it was more of a pudding type! I disagree! It was light n fluffy!
Mary Neumann
Glad you liked the cake, Lynn. Pudding type? lol! It’s definitely moist but not like pudding, especially if it’s baked through. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing.
Jess
I think they mean pudding in the European way. Think Christmas pudding which is like cake. Not like custard.
Mary Neumann
Ahhh, that makes sense now. Thanks, Jess!
Carlee
I love all of your crazy cakes, but this is an especially fun twist. I’ll have to make it this weekend!
Mary Neumann
Thank you, Carlee! This new Crazy Cake flavor was an instant hit!
Nacole S
I am a chef and and our pastry chef makes a chocolate cake similar to this one with no eggs, butter, or milk and it is hands down the most moist, flavorful, delicious chocolate cake I have ever eaten in all my life. So I am super excited to share this recipe with her and have her try it out. I’m certain it will be a big hit as well. Thank you so much for sharing. I will let you know how it turns out.
Mary Neumann
Thank you so much, Nacole!