Vanilla Crazy Cake Original Recipe (a.k.a. Wacky Cake) is a Depression Era cake that has no eggs, no milk, no butter and no bowls! One of the easiest, budget friendly vanilla cakes you can make! You won’t believe how delicious this cake is!
A Depression Era Cake
You’ll be so surprised how moist this cake is without eggs, milk and butter! I adapted this awesome vanilla cake back in 2013, from the Original Chocolate Crazy Cake. The original chocolate cake was created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were very hard to come by. People were pretty resourceful during those hard times. 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.
Original Date For Recipe March 12, 2013 – Updated March, 7, 2023.
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 dairy-free buttercream frosting, The Minimalist Baker has a great vegan recipe!
- For a fantastic quick and easy Buttercream Frosting, check out a great one from Sprinkles Cupcakes, a favorite go-to.
My sister made these adorable Vanilla Crazy Cake Cupcakes for her son’s class. Crazy Cake is a great go-to recipe for little ones with egg, milk and dairy allergies.
FREQUENTLY ASKED 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!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL RECIPE)
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- white vinegar
- pure vanilla extract
- canola oil
- water
- plus your favorite frosting or dusting of powdered sugar
How To Make Crazy Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. then spray an 8″ square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix the first 4 dry ingredients in a greased 8″ square baking pan. Next, 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 canola oil in the third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.
NOTE – For a neater cake pan, you can mix the batter in a bowl, then pour it into a prepared baking pan.
When ready, place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. When the cake is completely cooled, top with your favorite frosting, or simply dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Note: Because oven baking times will vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.
CRAVING MORE CRAZY CAKE RECIPES?
Vanilla Crazy Cake (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter!)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract *see recipe notes below
- 5 Tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix first 4 dry ingredients in the prepared pan (flour, 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 canola 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 completely before frosting (if using). You can also just sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
- Adding a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract in place of vanilla extract is a wonderful addition. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla plus 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
- 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 canola oil with vegetable 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.
Anne nuzzo
Cake is great
Michelle Lane Lee
I forgot the white vinegar, did I just ruin it?!
Mary Neumann
The vinegar and baking soda are what makes the cake rise – otherwise your cake will be flat. Bummer.
Joy
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
Katir
My family calls the chocolate version mayo cake!!
Malz
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.
Linda
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!.
cpmcb26
How can this be modified to less, different or no sugar (xylitol or erythritol) ? Tx!!!
Oline Wright
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.
bpaula1
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.
rita
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
hcw2
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.
Anonymous
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).
Anonymous
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.
LauraZ
Hello! I am just wondering if you have tried freezing the vanilla or chocolate versions of this cake? Thank you 🙂
Charlotte Fortier
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
mamatrey
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!!!!
Betty Morris
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
Anonymous
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!
bloodsong
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!
Anonymous
I serm to remember making it and accidentally leaving out the baking soda and it was kind of like a brownie.
Anonymous
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 🙂
Lynette Dias
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!
HMDocsLady
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!
Anonymous
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.
Meghan Wakefield
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…
Anonymous
How could I turn this into gingerbread?