This Depression Wacky Cake is a simple one-bowl chocolate cake made without eggs, butter, or milk. It’s perfect for when you’re low on ingredients but still want something rich and satisfying. It’s naturally vegan, incredibly moist, and comes together with pantry staples in under an hour. Originally created during the Great Depression, this cake has stood the test of time thanks to its ease and flavor. Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with a classic chocolate frosting for a nostalgic treat.
Ingredient Tips
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
- All-purpose flour: Stick to regular all-purpose; avoid cake or bread flour for the best texture.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use natural cocoa, not Dutch-processed, to properly activate the baking soda.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar works best. Don’t substitute with liquid sweeteners, as they can throw off the moisture balance.
- Baking soda: Must be fresh to react with vinegar and give rise. Check the expiration date.
- Salt: Enhances flavor. Don’t skip or reduce unless necessary.
- Vinegar: Either white or apple cider vinegar works. Essential for reacting with the baking soda so don’t omit.
- Vegetable oil: Any neutral oil (canola, sunflower, etc.) works.
Useful Tips
- Don’t skip the vinegar: It reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise. You won’t taste it in the final cake.
- Mix directly in the baking dish: For minimal cleanup, you can whisk the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients right in the baking pan.
- Check doneness early: Start checking at 30 minutes. Overbaking will dry it out. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let it cool completely: If you’re frosting the cake, allow it to cool fully or the frosting will melt and slide off.
- Storage: Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Wrap unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving or frosting.
- Frosting: You can skip the frosting, and decorate with powdered sugar. Or make this chocolate frosting recipe that I’ve used in the images.
Chocolate Depression Cake
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish (22×33 cm)
- mixing bowl
- Whisk or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vinegar white or apple cider
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 9×13-inch (22×33 cm) baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make three wells in the dry ingredients. Pour vanilla into one, vinegar into another, and oil into the third.
- Pour water over the entire mixture and stir until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before frosting or serving.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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