This vintage crazy cake recipe is made without any eggs, milk, or butter. The result is a rich, moist, fudgy, and absolutely delicious chocolate cake.
Like these old-fashioned no-bake cookies and this fruit cocktail coconut cake recipe, this is the kind of recipe you are likely to find in your grandma’s cookbook. You might have even made it with her as a child!
Crazy Cake / Wacky Cake
This WW II era cake goes by several names. I have heard it referred to as crazy cake, wacky cake, and depression cake.
Wacky chocolate cake became popular during the 1940s when some common cake ingredients were expensive and difficult to come by. The innovative bakers went to work to make a cake with affordable ingredients that they had in their pantry and the crazy chocolate cake was created.
It is unbelievably moist, rich, and full of chocolatey flavor.
This budget-friendly recipe calls for just a few simple pantry ingredients and no dairy. That is right–no eggs, no milk, and no butter!
Since the cake is made without eggs or dairy, it makes the cake naturally egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan too.
The simplicity of this old-fashioned cake recipe makes it a fun recipe to make with the kids as well.
Chocolate Crazy Cake Recipe
If you thought one-bowl desserts were amazing, wait until you try this no-bowl dessert. Everything is mixed right in the pan, making clean-up a breeze.
You will notice that the recipe calls for vinegar. You might be thinking: vinegar in a cake? Yuck! So let me take a moment to assure you that the cake does not taste like vinegar at all!
Don’t be tempted to try to omit the vinegar. It is a necessary ingredient in this recipe. The vinegar interacts with the baking soda to cause the cake batter to rise as it bakes.
You will need:
- flour
- sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking soda
- salt
- vegetable oil
- white vinegar
- vanilla extract
- water
(get the full recipe with measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post)
How to Make Crazy Cake
- Add the dry ingredients to an ungreased 8″ square or round baking pan.
- Gently whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Create 3 wells in the mixture for the wet ingredients. Pour the oil, vinegar, and vanilla into the wells.
- Pour water over all of the ingredients.
- Mix until well combined.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Serve plain, topped with powdered sugar, or with your favorite frosting.
I often just use a tub of pre-made chocolate frosting from the store.
Baking Tips
- Make this a vanilla crazy cake by omitting the cocoa powder and adding 1/2 teaspoon more vanilla.
- You can double the recipe using a 9 x 13 pan and increasing the baking time to 35 minutes.
- Apple cider vinegar can be used instead of white vinegar.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- One-bowl brownies
- Chocolate cherry dump cake – 3 ingredients!
- Snickers apple salad
- OREO poke cake
- Peanut butter fudge – 3 ingredients!
Crazy Cake
This easy crazy cake recipe is made without eggs, milk, or butter. The result is a rich, fudgy, and moist chocolate cake.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Add dry ingredients to an ungreased 8-inch round or square baking pan. Whisk to combine.
- Make 3 wells in the mixture. One larger hole and 2 smaller (see image). Pour oil, vinegar, and vanilla into the wells.
- Pour water over all of the ingredients. Mix well with a fork, making sure to get all the dry mix that gets stuck in the corners.
- Before baking, give the pan a couple of taps on the counter to help release any bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean.
- Serve plain, topped with powdered sugar, or frosted. If frosting, allow the cake to cool to room temperate before frosting.
Notes
Apple cider vinegar can be used instead of white vinegar.
Make this a vanilla crazy cake by omitting the cocoa powder and adding ½ teaspoon more vanilla.
You can double the recipe using a 9 x 13 pan and increasing the baking time to 35 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 237
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. Accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.
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Where is the icing recipe?
I just used a container of pre-made chocolate frosting from the store. You can use any icing you would like, or leave it off and top with powdered sugar.
are the 3 pockets to add the wet ingredients really necessary when you will be storing all together anyways?
Just made this for the first time. It was good, but hardly any flavor to it. If it had more flavor it would be 10/10
It should be very rich and chocolatey. Did you substitute any ingredients? What kind of cocoa powder did you use? Is it possible the cocoa powder isn’t fresh?
Are the oil, vinegar, and vanilla mixed together when added to the wells or are they separate?
Make a large well to add the oil, then 2 smaller wells, one for the vanilla and one for the vinegar.
Would olive oil work the same?
I haven’t tried making crazy cake with olive oil, but I think it would change the taste.
Yes, I have used Olive oil….
Can you make cupcakes with this recipe
Frosting recipe please
I love this recipe. I do double for a 9X13 pan. I make this &/or a Jello cake quite often, pretty much anytime we have any type of gathering. It is just so easy to make. Sometimes I will top with powder sugar or whipped cream or just eat plain.
I’m making this cake right now I made two to put them together but am wondering if they will come out of the pans because I get weren’t greased
They should come out just fine 🙂
I’m Making Crazy Cake for my grandson that turn 11 years old . And helping me is my granddaughter Mia. She is doing this by herself she is now 10.
I am going to make this today. I am going to use the recipe for the Texas sheet cake frosting. Only make my frosting a little more thick so it doesn’t spread so much. Not sure if you have tried the Texas sheet cake ? But it is delicious. The first one I made my friend and I ate the whole thing in almost a couple of hours. So hard to leave it alone. I am hoping this will be the smaller version.
What is the proportion if you use the apple cider vinegar instead of sugar.?
You can swap the white vinegar for apple cider vinegar. You will still add the same amount of sugar though.
I made it this afternoon. Personally, I found it VERY sweet, but I don’t eat a lot of sweets these day, so maybe that’s why. Next time I’ll halve the sugar. (I used Lakanto Monkfruit sugar substitute, so maybe that’s why. ). I didn’t frost. Other than that it was excellent. Moist, chocolaty. Raised beautifully. I had to bake it for 40 minutes. I’ve frozen much of it so my hubb6 doesn’t eat it all. Lol. Now I’ll have something on hand for friends who drop by. Oh, I used olive oil, which I always use for everything. I’ve never really found any difference in flavour when baking things.
Can you use gluten free flour
I have not tried this recipe with GF flour. If you do decide to give it a try I would love to hear how it comes out!