Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. I also have a Chocolate Depression Cake you may want to try!
![Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. Lemon Depression Cake, Lemon Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Cake with No Milk, Lemon Cake with No Eggs, Lemon Cake with No Butter, Dairy Free Lemon Cake, Desserts, Baking, Summer time desserts, lemon buttercream, recipes, i am baker, iambaker Piece of Lemon Crazy Cake with a Bite Taken Out and Fork Resting on Plate.](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake-2.jpg)
Lemon Crazy Cake
The only crazy thing about this super moist, lemon-flavored cake is that you can make it without milk, eggs, or butter. Well, it also may be crazy how great it tastes even without those ingredients! One taste-tester said it tasted like frozen lemonade in cake form.
Although the cake is made without eggs, milk, or butter, I did add a lemon buttercream frosting on top which does have butter in it.
![Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. Lemon Depression Cake, Lemon Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Cake with No Milk, Lemon Cake with No Eggs, Lemon Cake with No Butter, Dairy Free Lemon Cake, Desserts, Baking, Summer time desserts, lemon buttercream, recipes, i am baker, iambaker Pan of Lemon Crazy Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting in Swirls from Overhead.](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake-5.jpg)
Cake Ingredients
Lemons: Make sure you have a few lemons on hand. You will need lemon zest and lemon juice for both the cake and the buttercream (if added). I used three lemons in this recipe.
Buttercream: As I stated above, the lemon buttercream does contain butter; but it adds even more lemon flavor to every bite.
![Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. Lemon Depression Cake, Lemon Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Cake with No Milk, Lemon Cake with No Eggs, Lemon Cake with No Butter, Dairy Free Lemon Cake, Desserts, Baking, Summer time desserts, lemon buttercream, recipes, i am baker, iambaker Pouring Batter Into 8x8 Pan for Lemon Crazy Cake.](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake-6.jpg)
What is a Crazy Cake?
Crazy Cakes, also known as Depression cakes or wacky cakes, among other names, became popular during the Depression-era. During this time, it was hard to get ingredients like milk, eggs, and butter. However, that didn’t mean that they should not be able to enjoy desserts! So, the crazy cakes were made.
Can I Zest and Juice the Same Lemons?
Yes, you can use the same lemons for both zest and juice. Be sure to zest the lemons first; then, you can juice them. When zesting the lemons, be sure to only use the yellow part. The white part of the peel is bitter.
![Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. Lemon Depression Cake, Lemon Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Cake with No Milk, Lemon Cake with No Eggs, Lemon Cake with No Butter, Dairy Free Lemon Cake, Desserts, Baking, Summer time desserts, lemon buttercream, recipes, i am baker, iambaker Spatula Picking up a Piece of Lemon Crazy Cake from Pan.](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake-4.jpg)
Can I Add Food Coloring to the Cake?
Sure! If you want a bright yellow cake to match the lemon cake title, add 2-3 drops of yellow food coloring to the cake batter.
Can I Make This Cake Without the Buttercream?
Definitely! If you just want a refreshing lemon cake, it’s delicious on its own!
![Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. Lemon Depression Cake, Lemon Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Cake with No Milk, Lemon Cake with No Eggs, Lemon Cake with No Butter, Dairy Free Lemon Cake, Desserts, Baking, Summer time desserts, lemon buttercream, recipes, i am baker, iambaker One Piece of Lemon Crazy Cake on a White Plate with White Fork.](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake.jpg)
How to Store Lemon Crazy Cake
This cake can be left out at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. You could also store it in the refrigerator if preferred.
Can I Freeze Lemon Crazy Cake?
Yes! It is best to freeze the cake before adding the buttercream and the same day you make it. First, let the cake cool completely. Next, remove the cake from the pan and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Make sure none of the cake is left exposed to avoid freezer burn. Finally, wrap the cake in a layer of aluminum foil.
Label and date the packaging and freeze the cake for up to a month for best results. To thaw the cake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before removing the aluminum foil. It will take 2-3 hours before it completely thaws. Once thawed, you can add the frosting.
![Lemon Crazy Cake is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter, but full of lemon flavor with a light and fluffy lemon buttercream on top. Lemon Depression Cake, Lemon Wacky Cake, Crazy Cake, Wacky Cake, Depression Cake, Cake with No Milk, Lemon Cake with No Eggs, Lemon Cake with No Butter, Dairy Free Lemon Cake, Desserts, Baking, Summer time desserts, lemon buttercream, recipes, i am baker, iambaker Pieces of Lemon Crazy Cake from Overhead with One Piece and Fork.](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake-1.jpg)
Can I Make Lemon Crazy Cake as Cupcakes?
Yes! To make this cake as cupcakes, line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Pour the batter about 3/4 of the way full into each liner. Bake at 350ยฐF for 15-20 minutes, checking for doneness at about 15 minutes. The cupcakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs but no wet batter.
More Lemon Cake Recipes
![](https://iambaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/lemon-crazy-cake-400x400.jpg)
Lemon Crazy Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 1ยฝ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ยฝ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- โ cup (73 g) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (250 g) water
Lemon Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3ยฝ cups (437.5 g) confectioners' sugar
- โ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium lemon, juiced (about ยผ cup lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1ยฝ teaspoons lemon zest, about one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF and spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Lemon Cake
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and lemon zest. Whisk to combine.
- To the flour mixture, add lemon juice, vinegar, oil, and water. Stir using a spatula or whisk until ingredients are fully combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The cake is done when an inserted toothpick is inserted and comes out clean with a few crumbs, but no wet batter. Let the cake cool while you prepare the frosting.
Lemon Buttercream
- Using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed until well combined.
- Add lemon juice and vanilla. Continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until creamy.
- Fold in the lemon zest.
- Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake.
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.
This recipe was adapted from Sweet Little Bluebird’s Lemon Crazy Cake recipe.
Best recipe, lemon flavour pulls through super well. Family loved it, followed recipe to the T, made as muffins, came out super moist and fluffy and soft, muffins did not last, it was gobbled up fast! Thank you!!
Overall a very good recipe but some things were off. It took about 15 minutes longer to bake than the instructions (45 minutes total). Any less and the center jiggled. It was still very moist after 45 minutes. The other thing is 1/4 cup of lemon juice was WAY too much. It made the buttercream turn into a batter consistency. I tried it again with a tablespoon and was closer but still too runny. I had to add another 1-1/2 cups of powdered sugar to make it somewhat solid and even then it was still slightly runny once it came to room temperature. I had to refrigerate it to get it to keep from running off the sides of the cake. Great flavor overall though. And no, not my first time baking. Other recipes I found after this use similar ratios of lemon juice to powdered sugar as I ended up having to use.
This turned out like glue. It was not at all like any other depression cakes. Something is off with the acid balance
There is way too much liquid in this recipe. I think there’s an error somewhere in the ingredients list. The batter was really thin and it turned out like glue after baking it. My husband will eat anything and he told me to throw it in the trash. (I measured everything precisely with my scale using the grams given and did not make any alterations)
Oh dear! So very sorry. I will test this recipe and see what revisions need to be made.