Depression Era Chocolate Cake

[Kaos Kitty]

When I was young, my mother used to bake "Depression Chocolate Cake". Mom remembers making it, but not the amounts or the exact ingredients. It was my Grandmas recipe and didn't have any eggs or butter. Instead it used vinegar and baking soda to rise. I think the ingredients were baking soda, vinegar, flour, cocoa, salt and oil. It may have originally been from the "Great Canadian Cookbook". (I loved that book, it gave instructions on how to butcher a cow or chicken and then cook it. From farmyard to the table ).

But back to cake..anyone have this recipe? I remember the cake being chocolaty and moist and very delicious! A great cake for hard times.

[ravenmaniac]

I hope someone finds this recipe I's like to try it!

[stinkbug]

Yup...this is the ONLY chocolate cake my family will eat. It's a dense very moist cake.

Crazy Chocolate Cake

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 Tbls. baking cocoa
2 teas. baking soda
1 teas. salt
3/4 cup oil
2 Tbls. vinegar
2 teas. vanilla
2 cups cold water

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt in ungreased 9 X 13 pan. Make 3depressions - into one pour the oil, into the second pour the vinegar, into the third, pour the vanilla. Pour the cold water over all and mix very well with a fork till completely combined.

Bake at 350, 45 min - 1 hour (test with toothpick)

Also makes awesome cupcakes!!! Just mix it all up in a bowl and makes about 26 cupcakes - bake 20 minutes

[Lady_V]

I don't know of the recipe you are looking for -- but I do know of this one I make when I just -have- to have cake but don't have milk or eggs... this one doesn't use eggs, milk or white sugar. You could make it chocolate by adding cocoa.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Eggless...IV/Detail.aspx

[stinkbug]

This recipe is from my Great Aunt Pearl, who died about 10 years ago and was in her 90's then. EVERY recipe I have from her is awesome!

Another fabulous cake from her:

Aunt Pearl's Applesauce Cake

1 cup sugar
1 Tbls. cinnamon
1 teas. cloves
2 teas. baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup oil
2 cups applesauce
1 cup raisins
Nuts if desired.

Mix sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Stir soda into applesauce and let foam in bowl. Add flour, oil and raisins. Add nuts if desired.

Bake at 350 about 45 minutes. We use a 9x 13 pan, ungreased. Also, if you mix the raisins into the flour when you add them, they will be coated and won't all sink to the bottom of the pan We never frosted this cake. It is very dense and moist. Dh's family has the same recipe and they always frost it with chocolate icing. This is what dh's b-day cake is every year.

[fixer]

Yup...this is the ONLY chocolate cake my family will eat. It's a dense very moist cake.

Crazy Chocolate Cake

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 Tbls. baking cocoa
2 teas. baking soda
1 teas. salt
3/4 cup oil
2 Tbls. vinegar
2 teas. vanilla
2 cups cold water

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt in ungreased 9 X 13 pan. Make 3depressions - into one pour the oil, into the second pour the vinegar, into the third, pour the vanilla. Pour the cold water over all and mix very well with a fork till completely combined.

Bake at 350, 45 min - 1 hour (test with toothpick)

Also makes awesome cupcakes!!! Just mix it all up in a bowl and makes about 26 cupcakes - bake 20 minutes

The first time I try to post a recipe and I am too slow. Dw's recipe is very similar to Stinkbug's. The differences are:

1/2 cup cocoa
3/4t salt
no vanilla

I doubt if the differences really matter. This is my favorite chocolate cake. It is moist and not too sweet. I know it is a very old recipe.

[thefrug]

I posted one here called a Wacky Cake in the recipes section. It uses no eggs or dairy

Wacky Cake

Wacky Cake (Chocolate Vinegar Cake)

[old_lady_in_the_shoe]

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup cold water
Directions
Mix the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth. Bake two greased, floured pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes two layers of a two-layer 9-inch or 8-inch round cake, or one small sheet cake. When cool, frost it.
Eat.

[Kaos Kitty]

Thank you for all the delicious answers! I not only have a chocolate cake recipe now, but many others to try out! I declare this to be a week of cake!

[rainbowgc]

Yes, it sounds like the Wacky cake.

[tbs727]

I made this last week. It was SO good! This recipe is a keeper!

[DJ1972]

Thanks for the recipes! These sound yummy!

[jas]

We use the same recipe that the poster listed we call it "wacky cake" It is a family favorite!!!

I will be making one in the next week for my daughters birthday. We always top it with cream cheese frosting. YUM YUM!


"This cake is make without milk or eggs and is moist, dark and delicious. A brain child of the depression era when ingenious cooks developed a cake that could be made without expensive and scarce ingredients."
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa ( I use more)
powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, sugar, salt, soda, and cocoa together into an 8x8 inch ungreased cake pan. Make three depressions. Pour oil into one well, vinegar into second, and vanilla into third well. Pour water over all, and stir well with fork.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Frost with your favorite icing.

"If you like peanut butter you'll love this frosting, great on chocolate cakes but for a real peanut butter experience try it on a peanut butter cake. If you don't have cream, you may substitute milk."
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup cream
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner's sugar. Mix in 1/4 cup of the cream. Beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar. If necessary, add a little more cream or milk until the frosting reaches a good spreading consistency. Makes enough to frost one 2 layer 9 inch cake or one 9x13 inch cake.