Crazy Cake (a.k.a. Wacky Cake, Depression Cake) is a Depression Era cake that doesn’t require any eggs, butter, milk or bowls! You won’t believe how moist and delicious this cake is!
A DEPRESSION ERA CAKE
You’ll be so surprised how moist and chocolate-y this cake is even without eggs, milk and butter! It’s a fabulous go-to recipe for egg/dairy allergies as well! This cake was created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were very hard to come by. 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, milk or butter. You don’t even need a bowl or mixer. Genius!
TIPS FOR MAKING CRAZY CAKE
- 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 in to a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
- 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.
- This can also be made into cupcakes!
- More cake flavors have been added since this post! Check out the whole list HERE! There are mug cake versions too!
- For a great, easy chocolate frosting (my favorite), I use the frosting recipe from The Yum Life!
- For a dairy free frosting recipe, head over to Oh She Glows for a simple 2-ingredient chocolate fudge frosting recipe!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
It’s called Crazy Cake (or Wacky Cake) because it doesn’t need any eggs, milk or butter, which is kinda crazy for cake making!
It is part of the leavening process! The vinegar reacts with the baking soda which is what makes the cake rise. You don’t taste the vinegar at all in the finished cake!
You can double this recipe, just use a 9×13 baking pan.
You get the moistness from the oil and it becomes so fluffy because of the chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda!
Yes! Readers have commented that they have made this with monk fruit sweetener, and it turned out perfect! I would think many sugar substitutes would work here, but I haven’t tested this recipe with anything other than real sugar, so if you try it, please come back and let me know!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL RECIPE)
- all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- white vinegar
- pure vanilla extract
- vegetable oil
- water
- plus optional ingredients for frosting (see recipe card)
HOW TO MAKE CRAZY CAKE:
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. Pour vinegar in one of the smaller depressions, vanilla extract in the other small depression and the vegetable oil in the third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting. Enjoy!
Note: Oven baking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.
CRAVING MORE CRAZY CAKE RECIPES?
Chocolate Crazy Cake (No Eggs, Milk, Butter or Bowls)
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Optional frosting (not dairy free)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter (cut into chunks)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix first 5 dry ingredients in the prepared pan (flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt.)
- Make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients – two small, one larger.
- Pour vinegar in one of the smaller depressions. Pour the vanilla extract in the other smaller depression 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. Note: Oven baking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.
- Cool completely before frosting (if using). You can also just sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar.
To make the frosting:
- In a microwave-safe medium bowl, add in semi-sweet chocolate chips, evaporated milk, butter and vanilla extract.
- Microwave on full power for about 30 seconds. Note: it can be hard to tell if everything has melted so it's If not melted, microwave for an additional 15 seconds and stir. Repeat process until fully melted.
- Stir in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and combined.
- Frost cooled cake.
Video
Notes
- This cake is wonderful with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, or top with your favorite frosting.
- 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 in to a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
- You can sub vegetable oil with canola oil
- You can sub white vinegar with apple cider vinegar.
- Use the batter to make Crazy Cake Cup Cakes!
- Double the recipe using a 9×13 baking dish or make a Two-Layer Crazy Cake.
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- For a great, easy chocolate frosting (my favorite), I use the frosting recipe from The Yum Life!
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- For a dairy free frosting recipe, head over to Oh She Glows for a simple 2-ingredient chocolate fudge frosting recipe!
Judy
I have made the chocolate cake a few times, in a pan and as cupcakes for family and co-workers. They love it and I will never go back to box mixes again. They are so moist and you cant tell the difference. Only reason I started making them was I have a manager that is vegan and I hated that I made stuff that he couldn’t eat. Now he can enjoy the new stuff I make for him. He loves that I think of him, and all the other team members like the new stuff I am making too! Best chocolate vegan recipe to date. Easy and tastes good. Even non vegan ppl love it!
Chris
I have made this before but used strong cold coffee instead of water. Great flavor too.
zara
HI I made this in a heart shape tin and it just rises alot in middle like a mountain but not on sides as much . Looking at your pictures your using a square tin . Does it make a difference using square. Does it have to be a particular cooking tray? Ive just used a cake tray shaped in heart.
Sue
Potato chip cookies do not have eggs, and they are delicious! I mean, butter, sugar and potato chips! Yummm! I’m sure there are multiple recipes on Pinterest.
MARION
JUST WONDERING WHY I CAN’T PRINT THE RECIPE FOR CRAZY CAKE . THIS WAS THE FIRST CAKE I MADE WHEN I WAS 9 YEARS OLD BACK IN 1959. THANKS FOR SHARING
Mary Neumann
Hi Marion – All you need to do is click “Print Recipe” above and it will take you to a separate page to print. So glad you found this recipe again! 🙂
Here is the link: https://sites.google.com/site/sweetlittlebluebird/crazy-cake-recipe
Elon Hawkins
Thanks for sharing cake recipe without egg, because I don’t like eggs and also I don’t want to eat that thing that made by eggs. The chocolate flavor is my favorite.
Astha
Hi, Does it stay fresh for 5 days? Or how long is it safe to store outside fridge and consume still tasting good?
Thanks
Ashley
I love making cake this way, but mine always comes out a little dry with a thicker top crust. If I bake it any less time, the middle isn’t done. I wonder what I should do differently…
Mary Neumann
Hi Ashley, sounds like your oven bakes hot if you are baking on the middle rack. Try reducing your heat to 325 and add more baking time (check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean). After a few tries you should be able to figure out the perfect time and have a perfect cakes. Also. after cooling, cover the cake – this cake is ALWAYS more moist the next day.
Annette
Remember mom, grandma and great grandma making this all the time along with nut rolls (polish desert) and perogies love it. I made it when I was young and still make it never knew there were any other flavors than chocolate but I will try the other flavors soon
Maria Helena
Wow Amazing Thank You Mary🙋🍀❤️
God’s Blessings
Maria
Mariana
I found this recipe in your page about 5 years ago and have made all sorts with it since. I tried it as a chocolate cake but found it a bit average(though I’m not a particularly good baker), so i tried it as a carrot cake. Amazing! Then as a blueberry and oat cake.so good! And recently decided to try it as a chocolate cake again. I add a tin of blended beetroot to make it extra moist, and use just under half a cup of cocoa. But this has been the most amazing cake for me, because of my lack of baking skills! It has never failed me!(other than the time i forgot the baking side ;p )
Thanks for sharing this with the world!
Sally in Minnesota
This is the first chocolate cake I remember eating. Mom would make this all the time for us, and I always requested it as my birthday cake. (we don’t have any food allergies at all, so this was requested based on the yumminess alone!). It was also the very first cake the I learned to make as a child, because it is so easy. I’m 52 now and make it for myself and others, and they can not believe that there is no dairy or eggs involved. We called it “Crazy Cake”, and this recipe went into our church cookbook. I think that everyone should try this. I do mix mine in a bowl, (lightly, you do want a few small lumps in the batter), but you can mix it straight in the pan as well. LOVE this cake so much. I’m glad to see it is still in circulation. Lovely website by the way. Great cake for a child to make and be proud of.
Alison
Mary, I LOVE YOUR crazy cake recipes… as a vegan of 6 years it’s so nice to have a NATURALLY vegan recipe with so many endless options… you can really go creative crazy with these crazy cakes! I am a fitness fanatic so I do alter it a bit. I use spelt flour and granulated monk fruit sweetener only a 1/2 cup. I also use only 2 Tbsp of oil (coconut oil) and 3 unsweetened applesauce. On this occasion I used some raspberry puree along with half of the water and a bit of raspberry extract as well! I think I’ll make the spice one next with either pumpkin or butternut puree…. I bet sweet potato would work as well. Ahhh. So much fun so many ideas. Thank you for your crazy cake recipes they are my absolute favorite, best ones I have come across!
Anne
Made the chocolate crazy cake. It didn’t have a 8 in square pan so I used a 9-inch cake pan. Didn’t have any all-purpose flour so I use self-rising flour. It turned out perfect. I use chocolate powdered sugar frosting on it and that turned out perfect too.
Amanda
I know this as “snack cake”. I like to make it up when I’m feeling lazy but want a good dessert. I usually add chocolate chips to the batter and sprinkle sugar over the top before baking and don’t bother with frosting (which my husband doesn’t like anyway).
Bec Teninty
Yes
Nancy
I have just discovered these recipes. But have already made 2 of the cakes and 1 of the mug cakes. Really great cakes. Tonight I did the spice cake and the butter cream icing. They are wonderful. Thanks for the recipes.
Chuck
A flashback to my childhood. This was my mother’s favorite cake recipe when I was growing up (50 years ago). I love it.
Sheri
would you know the nutritional facts for this cake?
Kathy
I would like to know this as well
Alishaan
Can the 8 x 8 chocolate cake be made using gluten free all purpose flour ?
Mary Neumann
Yes, Alishaan – here is a recipe using GF flour: https://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/how-to-make/crazy-cake/
Shannon Eubanks
Question. You are specific stating vegetable oil. My son is allergic to soy so we only use canola oil. Does it make a difference?
Mary Neumann
You can use canola oil too, that is what I have been using for years.
Loddy
It turns out well…thank you and my daughter who is egg allergy did enjoyed it…
Krys
I was having a sweet tooth but didn’t have a lot of ingredients. I whipped this recipe together quickly, sprinkled some chocolate chips and unsalted peanuts, and then “frosted” it with some peanut butter. This is amazing! I’ll be saving this recipe for future use for sure.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
– Krys