Depression is the Great Depression. Not depression as in “this recipe will cure your depression.” This rich, chocolatey cake doesn’t contain butter, eggs, milk or butter. What is a cake without butter? It’s so “wacky”, I know.
WHAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE EGGS OR BUTTER ON YOUR CAKE?
Butter is used to preserve the softness and tenderness of cakes by coating flour molecules with fat and preventing them from developing a hard gluten matrix. This recipe uses butter, but it can be replaced with any cooking oil you prefer, although it will have a slightly lower richness.
Leavening eggs help create steam, which puffs up the batter and gives structure to the risen cakes as the proteins are set up. This cake uses eggs to replace the vinegar and baking soda. The mixture foams quickly and makes the cake light and fluffy. If you’ve ever had my Chocolate Mug Cake, it’s almost identical to this one. Anne Byrn’s 1917 Apple Sauce Cake uses a similar batter, but it isn’t made with butter or eggs.
Is THIS THE BEST CHOCOLATE CREAM?
This cake does not contain butter, haha. While it isn’t the best choc cake I’ve ever eaten, it’s still a delicious treat when your cupboards are empty. It’s also very easy to make. This cake is easy to make, even for those with limited cooking skills. This recipe is worth keeping in your pocket or bookmarks for browsers. It’s also vegan!
HOW TO SERVE A DEPRESSION CAKE
To top my cake, I used a simple dairy-free chocolate frosting. However, this type of icing is extremely sweet as no fat can help to reduce the sweetness. If you don’t like super sweet icings, you can skip the icing altogether and sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar after it cools. (If you do this while the cake is still warm, the powdered sugar will melt). You can also use a traditional chocolate buttercream frosting if you have butter. This cake is also delicious with vanilla ice cream topped with a slice of uniting-free chocolate cake.
CHOCOLATE DEPRESSION CAKE (NO EGGS, BUTTER, OR MILK)
This chocolate cake recipe was popularized during the Great Depression. It is rich and chocolaty, without any eggs, butter or milk.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
CHOCOLATE CHEESE
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour ($0.23)
- 1 cup granulated Sugar ($0.80)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ($0.02)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa Powder ($0.21)
- 1/3 cup cooking oil* ($0.21)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar** ($0.06)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.30)
- 1 cup water (0.00)
CHOCOLATE ICING
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar ($0.10)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder ($0.16)
- 3 Tbsp water (0.00).
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.30)
INSTRUCTIONS
CHOCOLATE CHEESE
- Preheat the oven to 350°F Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cocoa powder.
- In a small measuring cup, add 1 cup of water. Next, add the vanilla extract or vinegar to the water.
- The oil should be added to the bowl with dry ingredients. Next, add the water mixture. Mix until the batter for the chocolate cake is smooth. You must ensure that no flour is left on the bottom of your bowl.
- Place the batter in an 8×8″ or 9×9″ baking dish. Bake the cake in the oven for 35 minutes.
CHOCOLATE ICING
- Use the chocolate icing if you bake the cake. Let it cool down before frosting.
- Let the cake cool before you make the icing. Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder with the vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add water 1 tablespoon at a.m. until the mixture forms a thick, pourable frosting (about 3 Tbsp). You can let the icing dry for a while or add more water to moisten it again.
- Spread the icing on the cooled cake. Cut the cake into 9 pieces, then serve.
NOTES
*Use any neutral oil you choose, such as vegetable, grapeseeds, safflower or corn oil.
**Any light vinegar works, such as white vinegar, rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
NUTRITION
Serving Size: 1 Slice Calories: 319.77 Kcal Carbohydrates: 59.44 G Protein: 3.09 G Fat: 9.07g Sodium 272.58 mg Fiber 2.71 g
