During the Great Depression, ingredients like eggs and butter were expensive and scarce.
Amid the shortages and economic turmoil, bakers got creative with a recipe known as “Depression cake” or “wacky cake,” a chocolate cake made without eggs or dairy products.
With egg prices soaring due to the ongoing bird flu epidemic, it seemed like the perfect time to try Depression cake.
Similar versions of the recipe have been circulating for decades. I used one posted by food photographer and recipe developer Mark Beahm on Simply Recipes.
Not all vintage recipes hold up, but I’m pleased to report that this one does. I found Depression cake to be delicious, affordable, and simple to make. Take a look.
To make Depression cake, I gathered the necessary ingredients.
The ingredients for Depression cake are as follows:
I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry, but I did run out to buy all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a foil pan to bake the cake in. Additionally, I substituted dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar since I already had some on hand.
I spent $17.15 on ingredients. The cake yields nine servings, bringing my total cost to about $1.90 per serving.
The average price of a dozen eggs in the first quarter of 2025 is $4.80, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture, but this recipe didn’t require me to use any.
I preheated my oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and sprayed a foil pan with cooking spray.
The recipe called for an 8-inch square pan.
Next, I bloomed the cocoa powder with boiling water to enhance its flavor.
I used hot water since I’m not a fan of coffee. The smell of hot chocolate wafted from the bowl.
I added the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl, including a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
I was skeptical about adding apple cider vinegar to a chocolate cake, but I dutifully followed the recipe and added it along with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla.
Once the wet ingredients were combined, I mixed the dry ingredients.
The flour, salt, and baking soda all went into a separate bowl.
When I added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, the batter immediately began to fizz and bubble.
The chemical reaction of the baking soda and vinegar filled the batter with bubbles, which would help the cake become light and fluffy without using eggs.
I poured the batter into the pan and put it into the oven to bake.
The recipe said to bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes.
While the cake was baking, I started working on the accompanying chocolate glaze.
The glaze called for 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 to 2 tablespoons of coffee or water, and a pinch of salt.
I measured out the ingredients and mixed the glaze.
Once again, I used water instead of coffee.
After a few additional tablespoons of water, the chocolate glaze reached the perfect drizzly consistency.
I sampled a bit of the glaze and enjoyed the sweet, chocolate flavor.
In my oven, the cake needed a little more time than the prescribed 30 minutes to cook all the way through.
After a few toothpick tests, I pulled the cake out of the oven after around 45 minutes, when the toothpick emerged clean of batter.
From the outside, Depression cake looked just like any other chocolate cake.
The only difference I noticed is that the top of the cake had baked into a slightly crispy shell, which I haven’t encountered before while baking with eggs and butter.
As I cut into the cake, I noticed its spongey texture.
The baking soda and vinegar worked their magic.
I drizzled some chocolate glaze on top and marveled at how good it looked.
I couldn’t believe that this cake didn’t have any eggs or dairy in it.
The flavor of the cake struck the perfect balance of sweetness and richness, and the glaze added even more chocolate goodness.
As an experiment, I offered a slice of cake to my partner but didn’t reveal that it was dairy-free and egg-free. My partner said they appreciated how it “wasn’t sickly sweet” and went back for seconds.
After I shared the “wacky” nature of the recipe, they said they’d never have guessed it didn’t have dairy or eggs.
I found Depression cake to be anything but depressing.
As the price of eggs continues to skyrocket — a dozen eggs cost $10 at my local Manhattan grocery store last time I checked — I’m grateful for timeless recipes like Depression cake that have allowed generations of penny-pinchers to have their cake and eat it too.
The post I tried ‘Depression cake,’ a recipe from the Great Depression with no eggs or dairy. It’s my new favorite dessert. appeared first on Business Insider.
