This Chocolate Depression Cake is a moist cake made without any milk, eggs, or butter. It is topped with a creamy chocolate frosting for the ‘icing’ on the cake! For another delectable treat, I also have a Lemon Crazy Cake – the lemon version of this!
Chocolate Depression Cake
Depression Cake, also known as Wacky Cake or War Cake (among other names), originated in the Great Depression. It is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter. These were all ingredients that were hard to come by during the Great Depression and at wartime. But, just because times are hard doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a sweet treat or dessert once in a while.
Secret Ingredient Chocolate Frosting Recipe
This frosting is NOT dairy-free, but it does have one ingredient that always makes for the best TASTING as well as best LOOKING frosting! And that is honey. No, it doesn’t taste like honey, but the honey certainly adds a magical element that other frostings don’t have. Even if you don’t make the cake, try the frosting on brownies, ice cream, cookies, or even a spoon!
Can You Use Coffee Instead of Water?
I love that you thought of this as it is one of my favorite additions to chocolate cakes. Yes! You can absolutely substitute a cup of brewed coffee for the water in this recipe.
Can a Different Frosting Be Used?
Absolutely! Many readers have used buttercream, peanut butter frosting, cookie dough frosting, salted caramel, and so many more. Although frosting isn’t needed, it can be fun to try different flavors!
Can You Freeze Chocolate Depression Cake?
You can certainly freeze the cake, but I do recommend waiting until it thaws to add the chocolate frosting.
This chocolate cake will freeze well if it is placed in the freezer the same day you make it. Make sure that it is completely cool before preparing it for the freezer.
Here is what I do:
Allow the cake to cool in the pan fully. Place a layer of plastic on top of the cake and then place a cutting board or cooling rack on top. Flip the cake over. Wrap the plastic up over the edges of the cake and then add another large piece and wrap it again as tightly as possible without crushing the cake. Make sure that none of the cake is exposed in the freezer as this can cause freezer burn. Now wrap it in a layer of foil. Label and date the cake. The cake will freeze well for 1 month and should be fine for up to 3 months.
To thaw the cake, remove it from the freezer and set it on the counter. After about 30 minutes, remove the foil and remove the bottom piece of plastic wrap. Place on a serving platter and flip the cake over so that it is now right-side up. It should thaw completely after 2-3 hours at room temperature. Prepare your chocolate frosting and serve!
Can Depression Cake be Made as Cupcakes?
Yes! Pour the cake batter into a lined muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350°F, checking with a toothpick for doneness. The toothpick should come out clean, but some crumbs (not wet batter) are okay.
More Chocolate Cakes
Chocolate Depression Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 1 ½ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (29.5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup (237 g) water
FROSTING
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk, or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.
- Add vanilla, vinegar, oil, and water to the dry ingredients and stir using a spatula or whisk until ingredients are fully combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. When an inserted toothpick is removed with a few crumbs (not clean!) the cake is done. Let it cool while you prepare the frosting.
FROSTING
- With a hand-held mixer, combine room temperature butter, cocoa, honey, vanilla, and confectioners sugar.
- Turn mixer on low and let it combine ingredients for about 30 seconds.
- Slowly add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach desired consistency. You may not need all 3 tablespoons, you may need 1 more, it can vary from season to season and kitchen to kitchen.
- Spread over cooled cake.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
at first I thought this was going to be my Moms( Poor Man’s cake )made with Mayo, and topped with Peanut butter icing. I am going to print and try this one also. It looks delicious.
After following your recipe and baking my cake for 35 minutes, it was still like wet cake! I reread the recipe and knew if followed it correctly. Then I happened to see the video. Your video show 3 cups of flour. Your recipe shows only 1 cup. Disappointed in the wasted time and ingredients.
The written recipe is correct, and no, I didn’t use 3 cups of flour in the video. If your cake isn’t done after the suggested time, I would look to the oven as being the issue.
This cake is wonderful as printed here but, for an extra “bump” of flavor, substitute prepared coffee for the water!
Hi! No eggs for this recipe?
Hi, Marisol! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Nope, no milk, eggs, or butter in this recipe. It is based on cakes made during the Great Depression when those ingredients were hard to come by. I hope this helps, and have a wonderful day!
hubby just went diabetic…i’m trying to find at least a couple dessert recipes for him…would this work? almond flour and stevia sugar? I would love to find something that I can use for his birthday in latter february and surprise him. RIght now, he is very depressed about the things that he loved that he cannot have…He was a boy with an Oklahoma mom that cooked in a way that was not healthy (or good either) but that was what he was used to and did his best to get me to cook for him (though I sure tried to make healthier things, and I am a Good, midwestern, farm-raised cook…..)
Love this recipe! I’ve been making a cake like this one for many years because my daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. You can not tell there is vinegar in this. Our non vegan friends have no idea that this is vegan
Oh and I also made the frosting using plant butter and flax milk-it is Devine!
Oops I spelled divine incorrectly.
This recipe is a crowd pleaser in my house. My question is, has anyone tried to make these into cupcakes? If so, about how long did you bake them and how did they turn out?
Easy and DELICIOUS!
This is the first wacky cake recipe I’ve found with metric conversions. What is the conversion of the oil to metric please?