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    Home - Cake

    Published: Feb 19, 2020 · Modified: Dec 6, 2022 by Amanda Powell · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Depression Cake

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Mouthwatering light, yet moist chocolate Depression cake. This delicious chocolate cake is dairy-free, egg-free, and easy enough for even the most beginner baker to make! 

    top of chocolate depression cake with powdered sugar

    Why you'll love it

    There is nothing better than an easy little snack cake that you can make on a weeknight and not feel too guilty about enjoying for breakfast along with my morning coffee.

    This cake fits all the marks and then some. You can fix up the cake in so many different ways to make it a little fancier, but it is also perfect just as it is.

    Nothing is better than taking out this cake and smelling that sumptuous scent of chocolate wafting throughout the house. 

    slice of chocolate cake on plate

    What is Depression Cake?

    No, this cake isn't the cake you make when you are feeling down. Well, it is, but it is more than that. This moist chocolate cake gets its name because it was invented during the Great Depression. 

    Resources were scarce, and no one had spare butter and eggs to bake their normal cakes. Still, they craved a little indulgence every so often, and used their creativity to create a cake using the staples they had available. 

    Despite the sparse ingredients in the cake, it is surprisingly packed with flavor. I believe this is because it allows you to fully enjoy the flavor of the chocolate without anything to distract from it. 

    Depression cake is also sometimes called Wacky Cake or War Cake.

    close up of inside of cake to see how moist the cake is

    Ingredient overview

    First, let's remind ourselves of what you will not find in a Depression cake: eggs, butter, milk. 

    That means that the cake is vegan, perfect for baking for a vegan friend of yours. 

    What you will find in a Depression cake: flour, baking powder sugar, salt, cocoa powder, oil, vinegar, and water.

    Since the ingredients are so minimal, I highly recommend making sure you use high-quality cocoa powder. As we use only baking soda in this recipe, make sure you use natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed) 

    If you want to stray from the traditional Wacky Cake, you can add in chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, or spices. You can also top the cake with frosting instead of powdered sugar. 

    forkful of chocolate cake

    Making the Cake

    Making a Depression cake is probably one of the easiest things you can do. It is one cake I actually enjoy making with super messy kids. It's one I even let my baking-challenged sister handle all on her own. 

    1. Preheat your oven. Grease and flour your baking pan. I recommend lightly rubbing the pan with a bit of oil and using cocoa powder to coat the pan. 
    2. Mix together the dry ingredients together in a bowl. 
    3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. 
    4. Stir until there are little to no lumps.
    5. Pour the mixture into the baking pan.
    6. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out with a crumb or two clinging to it. 
    7. Remove from the oven, cool, and top with powdered sugar. 
    cake on plate next to milk missing a piece

    Recipe FAQs

    Is this cake vegan?

    Yes, this cake is completely vegan if you make it as-is. You are welcome to make any additions you want, but to keep the cake vegan, you must use vegan add-ins. 

    How should I store the cake?

    I recommend keeping the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. The cake can be frozen. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to a month. 

    Related recipes

    You'll absolutely love this chocolate loaf cake. You should also try the chocolate sheet cake, fallen chocolate cake, and chocolate mug cake.

    Recipe Card

    slice of chocolate cake on plate

    Depression Cake

    Amanda Powell
    A deliciously easy and traditional depression cake
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Course Cake
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 people
    Calories 241 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8 x 8 square baking pan.
    • Mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
    • Add in the vinegar, vanilla, oil, and water to the flour mixture and stir until there are just a couple of lumps left in the batter.
    • Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly to the edges.
    • Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a couple of crumbs stuck to it.
    • Cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar

    Notes

    Use cocoa powder instead of flour to prevent any white marks around the finished cake

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 253mgPotassium: 72mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword chocolate, chocolate cake, depression cake, wacky cake
    Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire

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    About Amanda Powell

    Baker, photographer, and sometimes world traveler behind A Cookie Named Desire. Obsessed with helping people live life sweetly with delicious food to share with the special people in your life and creating lasting memories.

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    Comments

    1. scott sproat says

      September 03, 2022 at 7:41 pm

      this cake did not surprise me at all. why? its the same recipe on the back of hersheys cocoa powder. it is very good. i can a test to it. 🙂

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Amanda! I am the baker and photographer behind A Cookie Named Desire. I'm a world traveler (sometimes) with a major weakness for cookies and cheese. While I'm mostly self-taught, I recently received a degree in Food Science!

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