This week’s tried & true I am sharing two more Crazy Cake recipes I tested in my kitchen…Vanilla & Spiced Crazy Cake!
Crazy Cake, also known as Wacky Cake and Depression Cake – No eggs, milk butter or bowls. These amazing cakes are budget friendly, perfect for family and friends with egg or dairy allergies or if they are vegan. Best of all, they really good cakes! You probably have everything to make a Crazy Cake right in your pantry!
Head here for the complete list of Crazy Cake flavors!
Last week I shared a Chocolate Crazy Cake recipe that was given to me several years ago by a close friend. This super moist and delicious cake has no eggs, milk or butter. You don’t even need a bowl! This recipe was born during the Great Depression, when people had to be creative during hard times. I am so thankful for this recipe, it was such a gift to my family – our youngest has an egg allergy and is able to enjoy real cake!
Click the photo below to head over to grab the Chocolate Crazy cake recipe!
Since I shared this recipe last Tuesday, it has received over 100,000 page views! People are crazy for Crazy Cake! From reading several comments, this wonderful cake is a sentimental recipe to many. I am thrilled so many people stumbled upon a lost family favorite…that makes my heart happy.
Update 2018 – Since sharing the original Chocolate Crazy Cake recipe, along with all the other flavors added over the years – these recipes have had millions of views! People are crazy for Crazy Cakes!
Just a few more interesting things I learned – this cake is also known as Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Vinegar and Oil Cake, Happy Valley Cake and Dump Cake. I’m sure there are more names out there and I would love to hear what your family calls this cake.
I’ve had several people ask if this cake can be made in vanilla…I decided to give it a try! With just a few simple changes to this recipe, I was able to make Vanilla Crazy Cake! I also made a Spiced Crazy Cake too! Both turned out wonderful – super moist and delicious!
%20No%20Eggs%2C%20Milk%2C%20Butter%20or%20Bowls!%20%20Super%20Moist%20%26%20Good!)
Vanilla Crazy/Wacky Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour + 3 Tablespoons (all-purpose)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix first 4 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
Vegan Fluffy Buttercream frosting
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (contains dairy)
Tips
This cake is not light, it is more dense – like a cornbread cake. For a stronger vanilla taste, you could add a 1/2 teaspoon more of vanilla for a total of 2 teaspoons.
You can double this recipe, just use a 9×13 baking pan.
You can also mix the 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 you pan.
Although I have not used Gluten Free flour mixes for this recipe, many people have and said the cake turns out wonderful! “Yes it is yummy and very moist. It even works with gf flour mixes!”
PINNABLE IMAGE
Crazy Cake batter used for cupcakes!
SPICED CRAZY CAKE RECIPE
%20No%20Eggs%2C%20Milk%2C%20Butter%20or%20Bowls!%20%20Super%20Moist%20%26%20Good!)
SPICED CRAZY/WACKY CAKE
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour + 2 Tablespoons (all-purpose)
- 1 Tablespoons pumpkin spice
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Directions
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 ( I used vanilla). Enjoy!
Frosting Recipes
Vegan Fluffy Buttercream frosting
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (contains dairy)
Tips
You can double this recipe, just use a 9×13 baking pan.
You can also mix the 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 you pan.
Although I have not used Gluten Free flour mixes for this recipe, many people have and said the cake turns out wonderful! “Yes it is yummy and very moist. It even works with gf flour mixes!”
Cake is great
I forgot the white vinegar, did I just ruin it?!
The vinegar and baking soda are what makes the cake rise – otherwise your cake will be flat. Bummer.
I have tried this recipe with 1-1 Baking flour (gluten free), and it turned out great. I took it to a weekend retreat and everyone loved it.
Thank you
My family calls the chocolate version mayo cake!!
Oh that is my favorite! Very similar, but Mayo Cake is different. That calls for actual Mayonnaise, which is comprised of eggs and oil basically. You would not be able to give someone with an egg allergy or vegan diet Mayo Cake.
I used to make the chocolate version over 50 years ago as a young girl and forgot about it. It was taught to me by great aunts i will be making today & trying the other versions as well.thank you for posting this!.
How can this be modified to less, different or no sugar (xylitol or erythritol) ? Tx!!!
This is very similar to the recipe my mom used when I was growing up at the chocolate version is. I once tried to make a vanilla version but it ended up tasting too strongly of the bak8ing soda I will have to try yours.
There is no reason that I know of to make the 3 indentions and mix it that way unless it was to be sure you didn't miss one of the ingredients. It is best to mix the dry ingredients before adding the wet one however. Mom always sifted the dry ingredients together and the wet ingredients together then slowly added the wet ingredients he tended to use he mixer and generally made 9×13 cakes or made cupcakes with the batter.
The science behind the cake is that the baking soda and the vinegar provide the rising agent for the cake by their chemical reaction. you can also added other flavors such as black walnut or almond etc to the mixture mom always added about 1/4-1/2 tsp in addition to the vanilla. I suspect you could if the vanilla one turns out well add what ever flavor you want. If you want to try a banana version I would suggest cutting down on the oil and adding the banana instead. I have seen other oil free cakes made by substituting apple sauce for oil so the switch to banana may work.
Of course the self-rising flour is the issue. You changed the ratio of baking soda to vinegar. It's chemistry. The recipe calls for baking soda, but self-rising flour has baking powder. You should try again.
Hi, I made this cake today and it really didnt turn out nice at all 🙁 however i did use self-raising flour instead as I couldnt find a all purpose one at the shop. Is this what could have made the difference
I made this and I used SR flour and baking powder. I also used a cup of coffee instead of water and it rose a dream and tasted wonderful. Foolproof cake.
Can you make this with rice flour for a gluten free/dairy free cake? What alterations would you need to make? (I've loved choc. crazy cake for decades…can't wait to try the other flavors).
Our family has made this for,as long as I can remember (I am 71). We called it wacky cake. My youngest daughter used to come home from school and make it.
I have recently started using the dark Hershey cocoa powder. It is amazing. I don't frost. It is good with a dolop or squirt of whipped cream. Then you can add a peach half and we called it toast and egg. LOL
I have used half applesauce to cut down on the oil and that worked. I think my recipe calla for 6 Tbsp. I may try using pumpkin for half the oil on the spiced one and find myself wondering how something like pears mashed up woul work in the vanilla.
One final comment. I have accidentally left out the baking soda and it was still edible, kind of like brownies. However if you accidentally use baking powder, just throw it away. It is not edible. I did that twice in one day when I was pregnant.
Hello! I am just wondering if you have tried freezing the vanilla or chocolate versions of this cake? Thank you 🙂
Made the chocolate crazy cake tonight. It was amazing!
Can't wait to try the others ones.
I was spooked at first working everything in one pan, but it did not stick, and my husband loved it.
Charlotte
Lakeside, AZ
We love your Wacky Cake recipe. My 9 year old daughter has claimed it as her recipe and makes it on her own when we have visitors. We live in Tanzania and work with women in the surrounding villages. Some of the ladies in Mwakiwasha asked us to teach them to make a cake. We used your Wacky Cake recipe because it's so inexpensive to make and the ingredients are easy for them to get. We did substitute baking powder for the baking soda and vinegar because they can't get vinegar. We cooked it inside a larger pot with warmed sand with hot charcoal under and on top. They were so excited and it turned out great. Thanks!!!!
Thanks for posting these recipes! Would like to share some "History" of the Wacky Cake. First published as "Issued in Furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914" My mother obtained copy from Clemson University Cooperating with United States Department of Agriculture, Extension Service FN Leaflet L-41 August 1971. Never knew she had this recipe nor used it. In 1999 granddaughter born who was allergic to milk, eggs and other foods. Have made it many times but never knew it could be made other than with cocoa. Would love to be able to also make it Gluten Free for daughter-in-law. Betty Morris
Thank you for this post. My granddaughter has milk and egg allergies. This cake is actually pretty good, and better than some cakes I've made from books for people with food allergies. She loves it!
this has got to be healthier than whatever is in pre-packaged cake mixes! (though i hate to bake from scratch.) looks fast and easy enough for me…
i am wondering if this recipe is also good for brownies? may have to try with half the water…
thanks so much!
I serm to remember making it and accidentally leaving out the baking soda and it was kind of like a brownie.
Hi, this looks great!! My daughter is allergic to dairy & eggs but every dairy/egg free cake is a disaster, can't wait to try this one Lynne 🙂
hey thanks for this receipe! my brother is lactose intolerant and is allergic to eggs too so he never had the chance to eat his own birthday cake.it will be his first cake!
Making these today – with the addition of a 1/4 cup of beet puree. My daughter wants pink cupcakes and we have a bunch of vegan friends. This is perfect!
Thank you for this recipe. It helped me create a special treat for my husband who is lactose intolerant and has Candida. I just substituted the sugar for 3/4 cup finely shredded carrot, 1/4 cup mix of shredded coconut and chopped nuts and 3 semi-heaped mini spoons of stevia (the little spoon that comes in the bottle). They didn't rise as much, but they were so yummy. Especially considering he can't eat sweets with sugar. Thanks again.
My mother made this cake for years and I love that I can walk into the kitchen and have a cake in the oven in less than 10 minutes…Try coffee in the batter instead of water for the chocolate cake and orange juice instead of water for the spice cake or lemon-aid…just cut back on sugar a bit…
also this is an easy cake to portion into zip lock bags so that all you need to add is liquid when you want to bake…great for camping…
How could I turn this into gingerbread?