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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Chocolate Depression Cake

Chocolate Depression Cake

May 2, 2020 by Alea Milham 42 Comments

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Grandmas chocolate cake recipe from the 1930s

This chocolate depression cake recipe is sometimes called chocolate crazy cake, chocolate wacky crazy cake. or chocolate surprise cake because it is made without eggs, milk, or butter. Which is surprising and sounds both crazy and wacky! The cake rises by using baking soda and vinegar, thus eliminating the need for eggs.

This chocolate cake recipe was popular during the 1930s when staples were scarce. It doesn't use eggs, butter, or milk. Also called chocolate crazy cake or chocolate wacky cake.

I have been making my Grandma’s Vanilla Depression Cake recipe for years. Recently I went through my other Grandma’s recipe box and found that she had a Chocolate Depression Cake recipe. It is slightly different than the other chocolate crazy cakes and wacky cakes that I have seen, so I thought I would share it with you.

It uses both baking powder and baking soda. If you don’t have baking powder, increase the baking soda to 2 1/2 teaspoons.

Since this is flavored with unsweetened cocoa powder, the recipe uses either boiling hot water or hot coffee to help the flavor of the cocoa to bloom and give the cake a richer chocolate flavor.

This cake recipe makes a two-layer eight or nine-inch round cake, a 13 x 9 cake, or 24 cupcakes.

This chocolate crazy cupcakes recipe was popular during the 1930s when staples were scarce. It doesn't use eggs, butter, or milk. Also called chocolate surprise cake or chocolate wacky cake cupcakes.

Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe

This chocolate Depression cake recipe is also called Chocolate Crazy Cake or Chocolate Wacky Cake because it is made without eggs, butter, or milk.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups boiling hot water or hot coffee
  • 2/3 cup oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line 2 – 9 inch round cake pans, 24 cupcake tins, or a 13 x 9 dish.
  2. Add the cocoa powder to a large bowl. Pour the hot water over it and let it sit for 2 minutes.
  3. While the cocoa is sitting, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
  4. Add the oil, vanilla, and sugar to the cocoa mixture. Mix until well-blended.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
  6. Stir in the vinegar.
  7. Quickly divide the batter between the 2 greased cake pans.
  8. Bake on a middle rack of the oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Allow the cake layers to cool on a cooling rack. Once cooled, frost.

chocolate wacky cake layers cooling on a cooling rack

You can use all-purpose gluten-free flour to make this cake gluten-free.

Chocolate Frosting Recipes for Depression Cake

Chocolate Crisco Frosting

Mocha Fudge Frosting Recipe

Fluffy Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting

A homemade chocolate depression cake recipe frosted with chocolate icing.

Printable Recipe for Chocolate Depression Cake

This chocolate depression cake recipe is also called chocolate crazy cake.
Print
5 from 12 votes

Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe

This chocolate Depression cake recipe is also called Chocolate Crazy Cake or Chocolate Wacky Cake because it is made without eggs, butter, or milk.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups boiling hot water or hot coffee
  • 2/3 cup oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line 2 - 9 inch round cake pans, 24 cupcake tins, or a 13 x 9 dish.
  • Add the cocoa powder to a large bowl. Pour the hot water over it and let it sit for 2 minutes.
  • While the cocoa is sitting, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • Add the oil, vanilla, and sugar. Mix until well-blended.
  • Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
  • Stir in the vinegar.
  • Quickly divide the batter between the 2 greased cake pans.
  • Bake on a middle rack of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake layers to cool on a cooling rack. Once cooled, frost.

More Depression Era Desserts

Vanilla Depression Cake

Tomato Soup Cake Recipe

Depression Era Dessert Recipes

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Arlinda says

    February 8, 2023 at 3:30 pm

    I’m excited to make this! Can you share your grandmother’s regular depression cake, without the chocolate? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      February 9, 2023 at 10:12 am

      Here is the original Depression Cake recipe: https://premeditatedleftovers.com/recipes-cooking-tips/vanilla-depression-cake/

      Reply
  2. Barbara says

    January 28, 2023 at 12:28 pm

    Can I substitute applesauce instead of the oil?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 17, 2023 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      No, you shouldn’t substitute applesauce for the oil in this recipe.

      Reply
  3. Anna from Martinsville VA says

    December 2, 2022 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    Omg. I made this cake this week. EVERYONE loved it. It’s the best dang chocolate cake ever. 😜

    Reply
  4. Esperanza. Munoz says

    November 28, 2022 at 7:08 pm

    Hi, thank you for your easy healthy recipes. You have an * after flour. I can’t find the comment.

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      November 28, 2022 at 8:29 pm

      I will have to double check. The note should say that you can substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour.

      Reply
  5. Renee says

    November 13, 2022 at 2:03 pm

    Made half a recipe of this cake today (in a 7 1/2” x 9 1/2” pan) for a trial before making one for a new neighbor. I’m blown away by how deliciously moist and light but fudgy it is! I used half monk fruit and half sugar as we are trying to avoid simple carbs. Was a bit skeptical about the monk fruit but it wasn’t noticeable in that proportion and the cake was plenty sweet without frosting. Will definitely make this again because there’s no mixer to haul out and with that awesome trick of pouring hot water (coffee!) over the cocoa it was super simple to make. At some point I might use a mixture of almond & wheat flours (because I’m curious) but I know for sure the recipe as written is perfect and am comfortable with it as is for the neighbor and anyone else in line for cake. Have also signed up for your mailing list & am excited to see some of your other suggestions for simple, healthy living. Thank you for being here!

    Reply
  6. Rachel says

    October 16, 2022 at 6:40 pm

    Could gluten-free flour be used?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      October 18, 2022 at 11:49 pm

      Yes, it can.

      Reply
  7. Diane Crotty says

    October 8, 2022 at 8:35 am

    Can you freeze this after frosting it? My company couldn’t come and so I have a big cake to eat!

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      October 10, 2022 at 12:11 am

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  8. Patty says

    September 29, 2022 at 2:31 pm

    5 stars
    I have made this recipe and it is delicious! Wondering if anyone has used dark chocolate cocoa powder?

    Reply
  9. PREAMATI says

    September 1, 2022 at 5:48 pm

    Hi Dear i try this recipe and the cake was awesome my kids love it thank you for this amazing recipe.

    Reply
  10. Jane says

    August 26, 2022 at 4:07 pm

    Do you put it the frig after baking.? Or can you leave it out if you have leftover cake?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      August 27, 2022 at 10:40 am

      I leave it out in a covered cake plate and have never had a problem.

      Reply
  11. Cathy says

    July 5, 2022 at 11:25 am

    How long do you bake cupcakes?

    Reply
  12. Yvonne says

    July 1, 2022 at 10:28 am

    Could you use a bundt cake pan

    Reply
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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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