Crazy Cake

Crazy Cake is a rich chocolate dessert that uses pantry-friendly ingredients. This easy-to-make, simplified cake is made without eggs or milk.

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Crazy Cake is a simplified cake recipe that produces a rich chocolate dessert. Made without eggs or milk, Crazy Cake, also known as Depression Cake, uses common items from your pantry to create a crazy delicious chocolate cake. 

If you like simple but delightful cake recipes, try making Vanilla Crazy Cake or chocolate peanut butter crazy cake.

Crazy Cake Ingredients

Substitutions and Additions

VANILLA: If you prefer the flavor of vanilla over chocolate, simply leave out the cocoa or add an additional ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Check out our full recipe for Vanilla Crazy Cake here. 

FROSTING: The cake can be topped with your preferred frosting, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or even left plain.  

How to Make This Crazy Cake Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

STEP TWO: In an UNGREASED 8×8 pan add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Using a whisk stir together the ingredients right in the pan to kind of sift it all together.

STEP THREE: Next using your fingers or a spoon make a good sized well in the middle and two smaller wells one on each side of the center well.

STEP FOUR: Place the vegetable oil in the center well.

STEP FIVE: Place the vinegar in a small well and the vanilla in the other small well.

STEP SIX: Pour the cold water over all of the ingredients.

STEP SEVEN: Using the whisk, stir until combined. You can also use a spoon to get into the corners and further mix until smooth. If there are bubbles in your batter, gently tap the pan on the countertop to release the bubbles.

STEP EIGHT: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool completely before serving.

STEP NINE: Ice with frosting or powdered sugar or plain.

How to Serve

Serve your crazy cake topped with your favorite kind of frosting, sprinkled it with some powdered sugar, or even enjoy it plain. For an extra treat, you can enjoy it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a handful of fresh berries. 

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: The unfrosted version of this cake can be stored in the refrigerator by simply wrapping it in plastic wrap. If frosted, allow the frosting to harden slightly by chilling it in the fridge for 15 minutes first and then loosely cover the cake in plastic. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze depression cake, either in slices or as a whole. If you plan to freeze a frosted cake, it is helpful to freeze the cake unwrapped first, and then to wrap the frozen slice or pan once the frosting will no longer transfer to the wax paper or other wrapper. 

Crazy cake is a delicious slice of dessert history. This rich chocolate cake uses pantry-friendly ingredients, such as butter instead of vegetable oil, to make a simple but delightful cake that the whole family will enjoy. You probably already have everything on hand to make this quick and easy cake recipe. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze Crazy Cake? 

Unfrosted crazy cake can easily be wrapped in plastic wrap and then stored in the freezer. Frosted crazy cake can also be frozen either in slices or as a whole. If you want to freeze an entire frosted cake it is easier to freeze the cake unwrapped first, and then wrap the cake once the frosting will no longer transfer to the wax paper or other wrapper.

Can I make a vanilla crazy cake instead of chocolate? 

If you prefer the flavor of vanilla over chocolate, simply leave out the cocoa or add an additional ½ teaspoon of vanilla.  You can also see this recipe for Vanilla Crazy Cake. 

What kind of frosting is best? 

Crazy cake can be topped with your preferred frosting, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or even left plain.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Peanut Butter Balls
• Chocolate Lava Cake
• Ritz Cracker Toffee
• No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

Crazy Cake

Crazy Cake is a rich chocolate dessert that uses pantry-friendly ingredients. This easy-to-make, simplified cake is made without eggs or milk.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup cold water

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In an UNGREASED 8×8 pan add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Using a whisk stir together the ingredients right in the pan to kind of sift it all together.
• Next using your fingers or a spoon make a good sized well in the middle and two smaller wells one on each side of the center well.
• Place the vegetable oil in the center well.
• Place the vinegar in a small well and the vanilla in the other small well.
• Pour the cold water over all of the ingredients.
• Using the whisk, stir until combined. You can also use a spoon to get into the corners and further mix until smooth. If there are bubbles in your batter, gently tap the pan on the countertop to release the bubbles.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool completely before serving.
• Ice with frosting or powdered sugar or plain.

Video

Notes

• This recipe can easily be doubled with a 9×13 pan.