Old Fashioned Depression Cake (No Eggs, Butter, Or Milk)
Old fashioned Depression cake is a World War II era, chocolate cake that uses pantry staples to create a timeless treat you'll love. It is super easy to make this easy homemade dairy and egg-free chocolate cake and dress it up with your favorite flavors.
Servings: 9
Calories: 329kcal
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar distilled white variety
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
For The Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
To Make The Cake
- Add the flour to a sifter, and sift it into a large mixing bowl.
- To the same mixing bowl add the sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Whisk them together until evenly combined.
- To a small mixing bowl, add the water, vanilla, and vinegar. Set aside.
- Pour the oil into the large mixing bowl with the combined dry ingredients. Stir briefly.
- Give the water mixture another stir to combine, and then pour it into the large mixing bowl. Whisk together until the batter's almost completely smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, as necessary, to make sure the batter's completely mixed.
- Lightly spray an 8x8" square baking dish with non stick cooking spray, and then pour the batter into the dish. Use a spatula to scrap down the bowl, getting all of the batter into the dish. Use the same spatula to gently spread the batter out evenly into the baking dish.
- Bake the cake at 350° for 35 minutes. Insert a wooden skewer into the center of the cake, and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked throughout.
- Set the chocolate cake aside to cool. You can serve it warm, or wait until it cools completely and add the chocolate ganache.
To Make The Chocolate Ganache
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
- Add the water a single tablespoon at a time, stirring, until the mixture's thick but definitely pourable. You shouldn't need more than 3 tablespoons of water MAX.
- Don't let the icing sit, as it will begin to dry out quickly. As soon as it's mixed together, pour it over the cooled cake. Use a clean spatula to spread it out evenly, as needed.
Notes
recipe slightly adapted from Budget Bytes
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 2mg