by Texas Homesteader ~
This easy depression-era chocolate crazy cake recipe is delicious. (some call it Wacky Cake). The recipe uses no eggs, butter, milk or even BOWLS!
Oh, and I also share a crazy-good mix-n-spread chocolate frosting recipe below too!
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Why Is It Called Crazy Cake?
During the great depression and how certain ingredients were hard to come by in those days. Ingredients such as milk, eggs and butter.
But their motto even way back then was the same as mine today:
Use whatcha got!
So they made a cake with no butter, milk or eggs. Crazy! But I think the bigger question here is how does it taste?
Well, it’s DELICIOUS! I especially love the brownie-like texture of the cake.
Crazy Cake Ingredients
Chocolate crazy cake is cake made with no eggs, butter, milk or even BOWLS!
Flour
Cocoa powder
Granulated sugar
Baking soda
Salt
White vinegar
Vanilla extract
Vegetable oil
Water
See full printable recipe card below for full recipe.
Simple EASY Directions For Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 325ºF. In an 8×8 glass dish add the dry ingredients. Then mix it lightly with a fork & add the wet ingredients:
Baker’s Tip: I love to add a bit of coffee whenever I’m making anything chocolate. It’s my secret chocolate-booster tip, y’all.
After everything is added mix it with a fork, stirring just until incorporated. Then bake.
How Long To Bake A 8×8 Crazy Cake?
The cake bakes in a preheated 325ºF oven (for my glass baking pan) for 35 – 40 minutes.
Can You Double The Recipe?
Of course you can double the recipe for this crazy cake! A larger 9″x13″ size Crazy Cake serves about 20 guests.
Just double the ingredients into a 9×13 pan. Mine bakes in the same 40 minutes that a smaller cake would require.
How To Serve Chocolate Cake
There are many ways you can serve this chocolate crazy cake:
Au Naturel – it’s delicious just as it is with nothing else added!
Powdered Sugar – A light dusting gives it a little extra sumpin’.
Whipped Cream – This Whipped Cream Recipe is sweetened with honey instead of powdered sugar.
Chocolate Frosting – My favorite way to serve chocolate cake!
No-Cook Chocolate Frosting Recipe
I most often use my favorite Chocolate No-Cook Frosting. This frosting recipe is made simply by by stirring together:
Softened butter
Vanilla extract
Coffee (of course),
Honey
Powdered sugar
You can get my decadent mix-n-frost Chocolate Frosting Recipe HERE.
If you want, you can use a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake and pour the frosting on the hot cake, causing the frosting to melt into the holes for a delicious poke cake version.
Fast, Easy, Company-Worthy Cake
So this has become my go-to cake when I’m expecting company. So simple, so chocolaty and so amazingly delicious!
I’ll share the recipe as I amended it below. And I’ll also include a link to my frosting recipe. Give it a try!
Looking For Other Crazy Cake (ie: Wacky Cake) Flavors?
Chocolate is BY FAR my favorite. But if you’re looking for other crazy cake flavors:
Chocolate Crazy Cake Printable Recipe
So don’t wait – you can whip this chocolate crazy cake up right now! The printable recipe is below:
Did you make this Chocolate Crazy Cake? Please rate the recipein your comment below!
5 from 4 votes
DEPRESSION-ERA CHOCOLATE CAKE (ie: Crazy Cake) 8"x8" pan size
This cake recipe comes from the depression era when households were rationed on such things as eggs, milk & butter. So this recipe doesn't include those ingredients, yet it's delicious, moist and surprisingly chocolaty. Bakes up in an 8x8 size pan. #TexasHomesteader
CourseDessert
CuisineAmerican
Keywordcake, chocolate, coffee, dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 people
Author www.TexasHomesteader.com
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2CupsAll-Purpose Flour
- 1CupSugar
- 4TablespoonsUnsweetened Cocoa
- 1teaspoonBaking Soda
- 1/2teaspoonSalt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4CupWater
- 1/4CupCold Coffee
- 5Tbsp.Vegetable Oil
- 1teaspoonWhite Vinegar
- 1teaspoonVanilla Extract
Instructions
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In an 8"x8" square baking dish, measure the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa. Blend lightly with a fork.
With the back of the measuring spoon make two small indentions in the dry ingredients. With the back of a measuring cup make one additional yet larger indention. In one of the small indentations pour 1 teaspoon vinegar, in the other small indentation pour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In the larger indentation add 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil. (I don't know why the wet ingredients are separated this way, but this is what the recipe called for so I always do it)
Pour coffee / water mixture over all and mix with a fork just until thoroughly blended. Place baking pan on the middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Mine always takes 40 minutes)
Bring cake out of oven and cool. Top with your favorite frosting, or just slice and enjoy the cake plain - great for the kid's lunchboxes.
Recipe Notes
Note: Optional no-cook chocolate frosting for an 8x8 cake:
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons softened butter
- 1 Tablespoon strong coffee
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Blend to mix and frost a 8x8 cake.
Here’s the recipe for a larger 9×13 sized cake:
5 from 4 votes
DEPRESSION-ERA CHOCOLATE CAKE (ie: Crazy Cake) - 9"x13" Size
This chocolate crazy cake recipe (or wacky cake) is baked in a 9x13 baking dish & serves around 20 people. Sweet, chocolaty, delicious and OH so easy to bake up. Requires NO eggs, butter or milk for unfrosted crazy cake. But a delicious no-cook frosting recipe is included if you're so inclined! #TexasHomesteader
CourseDessert
CuisineAmerican
Keywordbutter, cake, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, honey
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 20 people
Author www.TexasHomesteader.com
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3CupsAll-Purpose Flour
- 1/3CupUnsweetened Cocoa
- 2CupsSugar
- 2teaspoonsBaking Soda
- 1teaspoonSalt
Wet Ingredients
- 2teaspoonsWhite Vinegar
- 2teaspoonsVanilla
- 10TablespoonsVegetable Oil
- 1/2CupCold Coffee
- 1.5CupsWater
Instructions
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease an 9"x13" square baking dish. Measure the dry ingredients into the greased dish and blend lightly with a fork. Make two indentions with the back side of measuring spoon and one larger indention with back of measuring cup.
In one of the small indentations pour 2 teaspoons vinegar, in the other small indentation pour 2 teaspoons vanilla. In the larger indentation add 10 Tablespoons vegetable oil.
Pour coffee / water mixture over all and mix with a fork just until thoroughly blended. Place baking pan on the middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Bring cake out of oven and cool. Top with your favorite frosting, or just slice and enjoy the cake plain - great for the kid's lunchboxes.
Recipe Notes
Note: I like to frost with my no-cook chocolate frosting:
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons softened butter
- 2 Tablespoons strong coffee
- 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
Combine 6 tablespoons softened butter, 2 tablespoons strong coffee, 6 tablespoons cocoa, 2 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 cups confectioners' sugar.
Whip until ingredients are fully combined and frosting is spreadable & fluffy.
Frost cake or brownies while they are still warm.
https://texashomesteader.com/smooth-spreadable-no-cook-chocolate-frosting/
~TxH~
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