LEMON CRAZY CAKE – THE ORIGINAL RECIPE (a.k.a. Lemon Wacky Cake and Lemon Depression Cake), is a vintage Depression Era cake that has no eggs, no milk, no butter and no bowls! One of the EASIEST, budget friendly lemon cakes you can make! You won’t believe how moist and delicious this cake is, perfect for any occasion!
Lemon Crazy Cake – A Depression Era Recipe
You will be shocked how moist and delicious this cake is with no eggs, no milk and no butter, made right in the pan or in one bowl! I adapted this wonderful Lemon Crazy Cake back in April 2013, from the Original Chocolate Crazy Cake. The original vintage chocolate cake was created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were hard to come by. 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! Because this cake is egg and dairy free, it’s a great recipe to have on hand for people with egg and dairy allergies. But you don’t have to have allergies or be vegan to fall in love with this inexpensive and easy to make cake – it’s fantastic!
The Original Post Date for this recipe was on April 9, 2013. Post was updated, March 29, 2023.
Ingredients Needed (see recipe card below for full recipe)
This awesome budget friendly cake is made with pantry staples and one lemon!
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- lemon zest
- pure vanilla extract
- pure lemon extract
- white vinegar
- canola oil
- water
- plus your favorite frosting or dusting of powdered sugar
How to Make Delicious Lemon Wacky Cake from Scratch
You are going to love how easy it is to make this Lemon Crazy Cake! You can mix the batter right in the baking pan or use one bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. then spray an 8″ square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Start out combining the first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8″ square baking pan – mix well. Next, you need to 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 vegetable oil in the third larger depression. Next, pour water over top. Mix well until smooth.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes. To be sure the cake is ready, check with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Last, top the cake with your favorite frosting (I used vanilla for this lemon cake), or dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
NOTE – For a neater cake pan, you can mix the batter in a bowl, then pour it into a prepared baking pan.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR LEMON CRAZY CAKE:
Because this cake don’t require eggs, milk or butter, mixers or bowls – which is kinda crazy for cake making!
The cake get its moistness from the oil, and becomes fluffy from the chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda.
Vinegar is must in 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.
Yes! Simply use a 9×13 baking pan.
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.
TIPS FOR MAKING CRAZY CAKE
- Because mixing in a pan can be a little tricky and a bit messy, if you want a neater cake pan you can mix the batter in a large bowl, then pour it into a prepared baking pan.
- 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!
- 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 CAKE RECIPES
Lemon Crazy Cake (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter!)
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups plus 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon zest from 1 lemon
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 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 the first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8″ square baking pan, mix well.
- Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla and lemon extracts in the other, 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.
- Top with your favorite frosting (I used vanilla for this lemon cake), or dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
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 canola oil with vegetable oil
- You can sub white vinegar with apple cider vinegar.
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- For a great dairy-free buttercream frosting, The Minimalist Baker has a great vegan recipe!
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- For a fantastic quick and easy Buttercream Frosting, check out a great one from Sprinkles Cupcakes, a favorite go-to.
Anonymous
I tripled the ingredients because I need to make a three layer cake. It seemed a little runny! I hope it works!
Anonymous
My kids were raised on Wacky Cakes. I can't wait to try this version. Thanks.
Karen Cosme
The chocolate cake you call crazy cake, we all call "Mix in the pan cake" although I don't make it in the pan, I use a bowl. It has been mine & my family's favorite cake for years! Very moist, but not too sweet. I don't put ANY frosting on it. I am so happy to have the other Lemon & Spice versions now, they will be on my to do list right away! Thank you soooooo much for sharing the other varities! YUM YUM
Anonymous
I was wondering if I can make this recipe in the form of cupcakes? Will try tonight!
Cindy Wlazelek
Absolutely! We just made it yesterday. The recipe gave us 10 regular-sized cupcakes.
Anonymous
How long would I need to bake the cupcakes for?
Anonymous
How long would I need to bake the cupcakes for?
Anonymous
I just made this and used vegetable oil just like the recipe, not melted butter. It came out wonderfully!! My son is allergic to milk, eggs and regular flour (I used gluten free four) It was a winner with him, and he is very picky! thank you much!!
Anonymous
I was wondering if it would be alright to sub melted butter for veg. oil as I am out..I wouldn't see how it would hurt, has anyone tried that?
Lauren Piper
I have been using melted butter for the longest time until i just read this recipe…so yes you can sub the melted butter for oil.
Lauren Piper
I have been making this cake for over a year now and have always used melted butter. I will be trying the oil the next I make it so in short yes you can use melted butter.
Anonymous
I am wondering if this could be made with Almond flavoring as well??
marysweetlittlebluebird
I think that would be great!
Kate
Thank you for sharing all of your wacky cake recipes! Until now I was only aware of the Chocolate Wacky Cake, which has been very popular in our home. Thanks to you we can now have some variety. 🙂
Anonymous
Love lemon & this looks so easy & good. Just wish you had a printer friendly button to print off copies of your recipes.
Mary
Thank you for the sweet comment. I have a print recipe link, you must have missed it – it's right above the ingredients.
Here is the link:
https://sites.google.com/site/sweetlittlebluebird/lemon-crazy-wacky-cake-recipe
Hope you have a great weekend!
Jeff
I saw this on Facebook and thought to myself, "Now here's a cake even a guy can make!" But I have a question that probably only a guy would ask. How do you mix the dry ingredients in a pan that's already been greased? Wouldn't that make some little clumps in the dry ingredients? Inquiring minds wanna know! I'm looking forward to giving this recipe (and the variations you previously posted) a try.
Mary
Hi Jeff,
Good question! It's a really old recipe, but it works. The mixture does stick to the greased pan, but don't worry about that, just mix it. This cake is not going to win beauty competition, but it's good. As for clumps, I don't have them…well, I have had a few over the years, when I rushed and didn't take the time to mix it well. What some people do is mix the batter in a big bowl (following the same directions), then transfer it to the greased pan. I always mix it right in the baking pan. It's an old recipe, but it works. It always turns out moist despite not having eggs, butter or milk. Chocolate, Lemon & Spiced are my favorites! I hope you like the cake! Thanks so much for the visit and question!
heartofacountryhome
yummy! Looks awesome! I make an Applesauce Cake that has no eggs. Easy and delicious! 🙂
Sinea Pies
This looks and sounds WONDERFUL! Would you please share this on my Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop? It is still up now or you can wait till next week but do share it, OK?
New follower here, BTW.
Blessings,
Sinea
Ducks ‘n a Row
The Better Baker
Fabulous idea! Gotta LOVE Wacky Cakes! Thanks much for sharing at Weekend Potluck…please come back soon.
Jen
I didn't have any lemon zest or lemon extract. 🙁 But I did see that I had orange extract and some fresh oranges. So I substituted the orange for the lemon and substituted the vinegar with lemon juice. I also only used 1/2 tsp of vanilla and added 1/2 tsp of butter extract. I made an orange icing with a bit of butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, dash of salt, orange juice and a tiny bit of orange extract! It all turned out wonderful!) You've got my mouth watering for trying your exact recipe!! Going to go out and get me some lemons! Thank You!
DeWitch
sounds yummy:) I love lemon and orange flavors for cakes
Jen
I didn't have any lemon zest or lemon extract. 🙁 But I did see that I had orange extract and some fresh oranges. So I substituted the orange for the lemon and substituted the vinegar with lemon juice. I also only used 1/2 tsp of vanilla and added 1/2 tsp of butter extract. I made an orange icing with a bit of butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, dash of salt, orange juice and a tiny bit of orange extract! It all turned out wonderful!) You've got my mouth watering for trying your exact recipe!! Going to go out and get me some lemons! Thank You!
Anonymous
Seems like you made some other kind of cake since you substituted so many of the ingredients
Ilova Localfoods
Naaah, she only changed up the extract. Officially, that would be an orange cake, but unofficially, I'd call it delicious! All the main structural components are there, just a flavor shift.
Go Jen!! 🙂
matmedmera
Is that simple? I love it!
Lindseyj
Just made this… although I didn't have lemon extract so I substituted almond… it was AMAZING 🙂
Kelly Patton Johnson
In the oven now. Hubby's favorite:Lemon anything. Putting a lemon glaze on it.
Walking on Sunshine
I love lemon and this looks perfect and whacky! 🙂
We are having a Cookie Party this week for Foodie Friends Friday. Would love for you to come over with a cookie recipe or two to link up with us!
Sherry of Pondered Primed Perfected
Anything lemon sounds good to me. What a perfect flavor for spring! I still haven't made crazy cake but I have them all pinned for when I need some cake 🙂 Can't wait to try this!!
Danni Baird @ Silo Hill Farm
Mary!!! I'm making this for Sam tonight!! Okay…I'm really making it for me, but don't tell!!
Mel@Mellywood's Mansion
Yum, you know I love my lemon!
Natalie @ NorthShore Days
Oh my !!! I need me some of that lemon cake!!!! I will make this next – yum!!!
Maureen
I shouldn't have read this just before bed. Now, all I can think about is having a piece of lemon cake! How wonderful that your recipes are such a success.
Heather @ The Beating Hearth
I love lemon so this is my kind of cake. looks so pretty too with the lemon zest in there!