Chocolate Depression Cake – (Wartime Cake or Wacky Cake)

September 15, 2024

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Chocolate Depression Cake – (Wartime Cake or Wacky Cake)

Last updated on January 12, 2022

This Chocolate Depression Cake is so moist, fudgy and decadent you’d never guess it’s made without eggs, milk or butter. There’s butter in the rich and creamy homemade frosting, but you can serve it without frosting or dust with icing sugar. Hands-down, it’s one of the easiest and most delicious cakes you’ll ever make.

Depression cake, also known as Wartime Cake, WW2 Ration Cake, Wacky Cake and Crazy Cake, is egg-free and dairy free, not because of food preferences, but because of necessity. It was created and made as a special treat during the Great Depression and World War 2 when baking ingredients were scarce.

Don’t be fooled though. This chocolate cake doesn’t taste like it’s been deprived of anything. I made it for my family two nights ago, and we all went bonkers over it.

Chocolate cake in pan with bowl of chocolate frosting

I’m not lying when I say it’s the best homemade chocolate cake I’ve ever made. It’s so rich and dense it’s almost like the perfect combination between brownie and chocolate cake. And the frosting… OMG.

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A special shout-out to my friend Dave who recently shared a few of his mother’s favourite war-time recipes with me, knowing we’re all doing our best to bake and cook with ingredients that we have on hand, rather than running out to the grocery store to grab what we need.

Frosting Alternatives

He said it’s the only chocolate cake his kids ask for on their birthdays. You can frost it, or serve it without frosting, or if you’d like, you can sprinkle a little icing sugar on it once it has cooled. One of my readers said it’s delicious unfrosted, served warm with butter.

Cake sizes/Cupcakes

The recipe below is baked in an 8×8 pan.
For a larger cake, recipe can be doubled.
For cupcakes, a double batch makes 24 cupcakes.

Note: if baking in a glass pan, reduce baking time slightly.

Frosted Chocolate cake in pan with missing slice

Chocolate Depression Cake Recipe

For your conviencience, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups flour
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp vinegar
5 Tbsp veg oil
1 cup lukewarm Water

Cake Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325ºF

Mix dry Ingredients together in one bowl, and wet ingredients together in another.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat well with electric beaters, or stir well with a wooden spoon.
Bake at 325ºF for 45-50 minutes in an 8×8 ungreased pan.
Check with a toothpick before removing from oven.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Chocolate Icing

3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Cocoa
3 Tbsp Hot Water
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Icing Sugar

Beat all ingredients together well and slather frosting on cooled cake.

Store at room temperature (if it lasts long enough to store!)

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Depression Cake – No Egg, No Dairy

Rich, moist and decadent, this easy chocolate cake is made with ingredients you have in your pantry. Topped with a silky homemade frosting, it’s the only chocolate cake recipe you’ll ever need.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time45 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Cake, No Dairy, No Egg

Servings: 12

Calories: 285kcal

Ingredients

The Cake:

1.5 cups flour
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp vinegar
5 Tbsp veg oil
1 cup lukewarm Water

The Frosting:

3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Cocoa
3 Tbsp Hot Water
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Icing Sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Mix wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat well with electric beaters or wooden spoon.
Pour into an 8×8 pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Check with a toothpick before removing from oven.