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.
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.
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:
- 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 to the cocoa mixture. 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.
You can use all-purpose gluten-free flour to make this cake gluten-free.
Chocolate Frosting Recipes for Depression Cake
Fluffy Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting
Printable Recipe for Chocolate Depression Cake
Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe
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.
Odette says
Hi, thanks for this great recipe. My son is allergic to dairy, eggs, flour. Very challenging.
But my question is, to replace with flour with gluten free, is it equally 3 cups. Would GF flour have the same density as normal flour?
Tibeca says
When subbing out melted stick butter (or vegan butter) for the oil, you will likely need 1/4-1/2c more liquid.
I like using almond milk as it gives it a little “oomph” over water. You can of course also use dairy milk if you prefer.
Michelle says
Great recipe and so straight forward to bake . A keeper of a recipe . I had a craving for a really rich chocolate cake and this cake didn’t disappoint. I also made the frosting recipe that’s linked in the recipe and that also was delicious. Thank you for sharing
Diana Parker says
How many calories are in this cake?
Maria Pagán says
If you add the ingredients in an app to track calories, like My Fitness Pal, it will calculate all that, including the macros.
Cat Rambo says
I edited a cookbook for a writer’s organization at one point and got this recipe submitted by three different people, including one as “Mars Colony Cake” and another as “Mommy is Writing Here is Some Cake”. It’s a good one to have in your repertoire for when the pantry is a little bare!
Lynn says
This has been a fave in my family for years. Wacky Chocolate cake on our recipe card. People always love it, and so easy to throw together!
Mary Jane says
Imade this cake for a very dear friend with a deadly egg allergy. It was the first time in years, that she was able to eat chocolate cake. I used applecider vinegar, strong coffee and coconut oil in this cake. It turned out so very moist and tender. I frosted it with the mocha fudge icing. We also added a dollup of cherry pie filling and whipped cream when the cake was served. I am proud to say I didnt have any cake left at the end of the evening. The only problem I had was, the cake sank in the middle after being pulled from the oven. It might have looked a little wonky….but oh my goodness, it was very delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Jenn says
Hei Mary Jane, you had me at Apple Cider vinegar,coconut oil and cherry pie filling. I have to try it next weekend, thxx 4 sharing