No Depression Cake

If you’ve ever run out of baking staples right when the craving hits, you’re going to love this recipe. The Great Depression Cake—also known as Wacky Cake or Crazy Cake—was born out of tough times when ingredients like eggs, milk, and butter were hard to come by. Sound familiar? Whether you’re watching your grocery budget, avoiding animal products, or just want a simple treat without the fuss, this cake is here for you.

I love how something so rich, moist, and chocolaty could come from such humble roots—and it just so happens to be accidentally vegan. No weird substitutes, no fancy flours. Just everyday pantry items mixed together into something surprisingly delicious. Let’s bring this classic back to life with a plant-based twist that honors the past and satisfies the present.

Cake ingredients-

3 cups all-purpose flour (mine is gluten free)

2 cups granulated sugar (mine is coconut sugar, had to add an additional cup)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup vegetable oil (mine is olive oil)

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups cold water

Frosting ingredients-

1 cup vegan butter, softened

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Place flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a bowl (or directly in the 9×13-inch cake pan). Mix dry ingredients all together. Make three wells in the dry ingredients. Pour the oil into the first well, the vinegar into the second, and the vanilla into the third. Pour cold water all over the mixture and stir well with a fork until combined. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For frosting, with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or in a food processor like me), beat the softened butter for about 2 minutes, until creamy. Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla and nondairy milk. And mix until it is the consistency of frosting. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk and powdered sugar if you want the frosting a little more loose. Let the cake cool in the pan and frost. Then, enjoy.

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