This Vanilla Depression Cake is something that many will remember grandma making when they were a kid. This delicious cake is famous for being so easy to make during the depression when things like milk, butter and eggs were scarce. Since it is still budget friendly and delicious, it has made an amazing comeback and is back on our radar as a fun and yummy dessert.
Since this cake does not use eggs, milk, or butter, it is naturally egg-free and dairy-free, so you can serve it to friends who have an egg allergy or are lactose intolerant. It is also a delicious cake to serve to your friends who follow a vegan diet.
The below recipe is for a double layer cake. If you are trying to avoid dairy, you can frost it with this Fluffy Dairy-Free Frosting Recipe. If you can have dairy, then try this recipe for the Fluffiest Buttercream Frosting Ever!
Vanilla Depression Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 – 9 inch round cake pans.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl.
- Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix with a whisk until well-blended. Do not over beat. It will still turn out even if there are a few small lumps.
- Divide the batter between the 2 greased cake pans.
- Bake on a middle rack of oven for 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
*You can substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this cake gluten-free.
This delicious vanilla depression cake is so simple to make. The best of the best in cakes! You can easily make this a gluten-free recipe by using your favorite all purpose gluten-free flour, or add various flavors of icing to create a great cake that is unique to your preferences.
Looking for more depression era recipes? Try any of these delicious Egg-Free Crazy Cake Recipes or this Tomato Soup Cake Recipe. And here are some Depression Era Tips to help you save money on your food bill.
Printable Recipe Vanilla Depression Cake
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups water
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 - 9 inch round cake pans.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl.
- Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix with a whisk until well-blended. Do not over beat. It will still turn out even if there are a few small lumps.
- Divide the batter between the 2 greased cake pans.
- Bake on a middle rack of oven for 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
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Cheyanne says
October 8, 2015 at 10:01 amI’ve been wanting to try this! I have everything but the vinegar. Sigh. I need to suck it up and just buy the giant jug! I’m always using it to clean. 🙂
Tammy says
January 8, 2016 at 2:40 pmSubstitute lemon juice for vinegar. It’s the acid in them mixed with the baking soda that causes the cake to rise.
Christian says
August 30, 2017 at 4:33 pmDo you think that apple cider vinegar would work?
Alea Milham says
August 30, 2017 at 8:12 pmYes, though it may alter the flavor.
Shannon says
January 21, 2016 at 9:29 pmIs it the vinegar included in the first five ingredients or is it put into a well or both? I really want to try this!
Alea Milham says
January 21, 2016 at 10:19 pmIt goes in one of the wells.
Emily says
January 31, 2016 at 8:42 pmOk so first off…this is the BEST cake. I have made it twice and it tastes incredible, is the perfect texture, and is SO EASY TO MAKE. I cannot say enough about it. 10/10, do recommend.
I just have to ask… why the wells for wet ingredients? What’s the difference between doing that and just pouring it in however? I have next to no baking experience and am just so curious!
Alea Milham says
February 11, 2016 at 8:22 pmIt will turn out well even if you mix it all in a bowl and then pour it into a pan and let it bake.
Aryane says
February 26, 2016 at 10:29 amHi! This cake looks delicious!!
Have you ever tried making it with less sugar? 2 cups is a lot and it would definitely be too sweet for my taste, but I’m not sure how much I can cut off without altering the texture.
Thanks 🙂
caitee says
March 14, 2016 at 9:08 amDo you recommend using coconut oil for this recipe?
Nina says
May 6, 2016 at 11:03 amMy mom now 88yrs old has made for years a depression cake that her mom always called a Wicky Wacky cake it is chocolate and wonderful. We always mixed it right in the cake pan never dirtied a bowl. It was always my dad’s birthday cake with a fudge frosting.
Amy J. O. says
May 18, 2016 at 2:03 pmI just printed out this recipe to try it. Is there a particular frosting that is recommended?
Amy says
June 4, 2016 at 4:15 pmGuys.
I used fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar
Strawberry puree instead of water.
Zested the lemon in with the flour.
It’s. So. Good!
I needed something dairy & chocolate free. Next time I won’t use the full 2 cups sugar either… but it’s so so so good!
Thasks for sharing!
Patty says
August 9, 2017 at 1:26 pmHi!! I’d love to make these this week for a toddlers birthday and she wants strawberry cupcakes! Is that what the strawberry Pitre did- made it pink and strawberry flavored!? Might be a dumb question but did you just put fresh strawbs in a food processor until it was liquid to purée them?
And does anyone know how long to bake these as cupcakes?
Thank you!!!!
mimi says
January 14, 2017 at 12:54 pmThe notes says to double the recipe for a two layer cake yet it says to divide the batter into two pans. Confused
Alea Milham says
January 14, 2017 at 5:18 pmThat note was erroneous. You do not have to double the recipe to make this 2 layer cake.
Diana says
February 27, 2017 at 1:36 pmCan this be made in a 9×13″ pan instead of the two 9″ cake pans?
Alea Milham says
February 28, 2017 at 2:15 pmYes, it can.
Brittany says
March 15, 2017 at 7:05 pmIf this is made in a 9×13 pan, how long do you think it should bake for? Thanks
Brittany says
March 17, 2017 at 8:26 amDoes anyone know?
Kathy says
April 18, 2018 at 9:15 pm9×13” I start with30 minutes if the middle is still raw cook for another 10 minutes then check the cake. Then cook in 5 minute increments until a knife or toothpick comes out clean.
Jennifer Casella says
March 16, 2017 at 5:17 pmHi. Would I cut the recipe in half for a single layer cake?
Alea Milham says
March 16, 2017 at 10:38 pmYes.
Jootz says
December 20, 2018 at 8:49 amOr you could just make the two layers and freeze one, so you don’t have to bake again for awhile!
Alea Milham says
December 21, 2018 at 12:55 pmGreat idea!
Deb says
July 15, 2017 at 3:14 pmCan it be baked in a bunch pan?
Alea Milham says
July 16, 2017 at 5:38 amI haven’t tried, but now I want to! I think it would work just fine.
Sarah says
November 17, 2017 at 3:33 amHi, can you use baking powder instead of bicarb soda? Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil?
G Duncan says
August 26, 2018 at 2:32 pmI always use Olive Oil in my baking, but Never EVOO – that would impart and off flavor, particularly in this cake.
Lillian Krajenka says
December 30, 2017 at 9:51 amI’m trying it in a Bundt pan now.
Your recipe mentions NOTHING about Wells. Are they necessary?
Alea Milham says
December 30, 2017 at 4:25 pmWells are not necessary.
Lillian Krajenka says
December 30, 2017 at 10:15 amBaked for 48 minutes in a Bundt pan. don’t know why I can’t post a photo..?
48 MINUTES DOESN’T SEEM TO BE LONG ENOUGH… GOING TO TRY STICKING IT BACK IN FOR ANOTHER 20 🙁
Alea Milham says
December 30, 2017 at 4:25 pmI have never made this in a bundt cake pan, so I don’t know how long it will take or how it will turn out.
Jeanette says
February 14, 2018 at 11:41 amThank you for the recipe. I’ve been making a chocolate version like this for years, (modified off of a black bottom cupcake recipe), but have wanted to do vanilla, but too afraid to just omit the cocoa powder & ruin it. Thank you for posting!
The cupcakes always baked at 350 for 30-35 minutes, so i did about the same for the chocolate cake, the vanilla works well at 375??? Maybe it is even better at 375 to cook it right when the baking soda and vinegar are reacting??
Thank you!!
Lee Snodgrass says
July 2, 2018 at 3:46 pmWhy 375 degrees when most cakes bake at 350 degrees. Just checking to see if that was correct. Didn’t want to burn it.
Amy Irish says
July 21, 2018 at 6:54 pmMade it in a copper thirteen by nine and used cooking spray no flour same temp. turned out great frosted it with old fashioned stove top vanilla frosting . Sweet but not filling jarring sweet
Trina H says
September 20, 2018 at 1:49 pmBaking is just using common sense. The whole point of making these depression era foods is to make them how they were made then! They didn’t have olive oil,etc.just follow recipe and use the listed ingredients only! Then you will see how the foods tasted then.actually some are better and healthier than today’s foods.people didn’t have the weight or health problems we do today.
Linda says
June 18, 2019 at 8:49 amPeople were also much more likely to have physical jobs and to move more throughout their day, which made a big difference in overall weight.
Christine says
September 26, 2018 at 10:16 amHi, is it possible to make this into a 3 layer 6in cake?
Alea Milham says
September 27, 2018 at 8:21 amI haven’t tried it, but I think you could do it.
sylvia says
November 9, 2018 at 2:03 pmcould you replace the oil or maybe half the oil with applesauce?
Leslie says
March 17, 2019 at 1:06 pmLooking forward to trying this but was curious if anyone has tried lowering the sugar amount? I know cakes need it for texture but wonder how little you could get away with