It's Time to Bring Back Chocolate Depression Cake

An eggless sheet cake that's almost as good as therapy

It feels like an appropriate time to bring back this Eggless Chocolate Sheet Cake, a classic recipe I’ve been eating since before I can even remember eating it.

This was one of the first recipes I learned to make by myself, and my 9 and 6 year olds already have it close to mastered. It’s the easiest one bowl recipe, and it doesn’t include a lick of eggs or butter. We called it Crazy Cake, but I’ve also heard it called Wacky Cake and Depression Cake (because it didn’t include ingredients that were hard to access during the Great Depression, but let’s be honest, this name can work on multiple levels).

The cake itself is fluffy and rich with a chocolate flavor that gets even better on the second day. My mom always paired it with a salty caramel glaze, and when you’d heat a slice in the microwave until the glaze began to run down the sides, it felt like all was right in the world.

My dad would’ve told you this cake needs to be served with ice cold (whole) milk poured over the top, and I have to agree there’s something about the way the milk soaks into all the nooks and crannies that really hits the spot.

My kids like to eat the cake plain, and when left to their own devices, will cut slices for themselves with no regard for social norms or basic human decency.

Exhibit A:

This is a rainy day kind of cake, the perfect recipe to pull out when you need a little baking therapy with a big reward. It’s a reminder that good things can come from simple ingredients, and that, perhaps, our small acts of love can have a bigger impact than we imagined. I hope your family will love it as much as mine does, but perhaps be a tad more respectful with their slicing.

Chocolate Wacky Cake

This recipe was originally posted on NeighborFood. For step by step photos and FAQs, please visit this chocolate crazy cake recipe.

Serves: 16-20

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 6 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder

• 2 cups sugar

• 3 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 cups water

• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil

• 2 Tablespoons vinegar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the caramel glaze:

• 5 Tablespoons brown sugar

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 Tablespoons cream

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• Splash of vanilla

• Pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray, butter, or shortening.

2. Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl, then add the sugar, flour, salt, soda, and baking powder. Whisk together.

3. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients then pour in the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

4. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. Pour in the prepared baking pan and bake for 32-38 minutes, or until the cake is starting to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the frosting:

1. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved.

2. Add the cream and bring back to a boil.

3. Remove from heat and sift 1 cup of powdered sugar into the pot. Whisk until smooth. Continue to add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. (It should be thick, but pourable--like the consistency of maple syrup). Add the vanilla and salt.

4. Pour the glaze over the cake while it's still hot, then allow to cool on the cake.