Chocolate Coffee Depression Cake is a moist and delicious, made from scratch cake recipe. It doesn’t use eggs, milk, or butter, making it an allergy-friendly choice!
A long time ago, a friend told me she had made a Depression Cake. I was interested by it, so I looked into how to make one and loved that it was an easy cake made from scratch. However, I never got around to trying it until now.
From what I read, Depression Cake became a popular cake during the Great Depression and later WWII, when eggs and dairy products were scarce. People had to get creative to make ends meet. With food costs so high right now, we’re having to do the same again, so we’ve got 10 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Grocery Budget to help you out!
A Depression Cake is a cake made with no eggs, no milk, and no butter. It doesn’t require a bowl, as all the ingredients are mixed in the pan you’ll bake it in, so no extra dishes!
(Sorry about the shadows and the flour on the pan- I let the kids help me make the cake, and it got a little messy!)
I wanted to make a Chocolate Coffee Depression Cake, so I altered the original recipe, adding coffee and chocolate. Go here for the original Depression Cake or Wacky Cake.
Since making this recipe, chocolate coffee depression cake has become one of my favorite cakes! It is probably the most moist cake I have ever eaten.
I have a friend who doesn’t like coffee, so she didn’t want to try it, but when I convinced her that it doesn’t really taste like coffee, she finally relented. We both agreed that the coffee simply deepens the chocolate flavor and makes it amazing!
If you’re looking for an amazing cake recipe that’s allergy-friendly, this is the recipe for you!
Chocolate Coffee Depression Cake
This Chocolate Coffee Depression Cake is moist and delicious, made from scratch, and uses no eggs, milk, or butter. Best of all, it's so easy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3 Tbsp Cocoa
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup room-temperature coffee
- Chocolate Frosting, Use your favorite recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease an 8x8 pan (or double ingredients for a 13x9 pan).
- Measure dry ingredients into the pan and stir together.
- Make one large depression and 2 small depressions in the dry ingredients.
- Into the large depression, measure the oil.
- Measure vinegar into one small depression and vanilla into the other.
- Pour coffee over everything and stir until no lumps remain.
- Bake for 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- You can cool and then frost, or for a smoother look put the frosting on while it's hot.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Have you ever heard of Depression Cake? Or have you heard of it by a different name? If so, I’d love to hear about it!
Looking for more delicious cakes?
Why not join us on Pinterest: Coffee With Us 3 or hangout with us on Facebook:
Check out our link parties.
Linking up to Menu Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck.
Don’t forget to pin!
Sarah
Saturday 27th of January 2024
I have taken on "veganuary" but my birthday falls this month. I am SO happy to find a birthday cake that works with my dietary restrictions.
Jamie H
Sunday 28th of January 2024
I'm so glad this will work for you, Sarah! Happy birthday!
Regine
Wednesday 12th of August 2020
This cake is so good! I made it for my husband’s birthday and used a peanut butter cream cheese icing.
Even on its own, the cake was incredibly moist and almost reminded me of a brownie. So good! Definitely making this again.
Jamie H
Saturday 15th of August 2020
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I bet it's really good with peanut butter frosting-- I'm definitely going to try that!
Dean-Na
Saturday 6th of June 2020
I know it as Wacky Cake!
Dazsha
Sunday 31st of May 2020
The cake turned out beautifully! Sooo yummy! My mom and I really enjoyed it?
Sher
Saturday 25th of April 2020
I have made this cake many times! It is moist and tastes so good! Trying to turn this into a depression Texas sheet cake. Wish me Luck!
Tay
Monday 26th of June 2023
@Sher, I'm planning to make this cake, and I also want to make it into a Texas Sheet Cake. I was wondering if you had any luck with your endeavor, and if you would mind sharing what you did?
Thanks in advance!