Wacky Chocolate Cake was a popular dessert during the Depression Era because it requires very few ingredients and it is made with total ease. Combine everything in a single pan with no eggs or butter required!
One of my recent cookbook obsessions is the incredible American Cake by Anne Byrn. I have flipped through the pages of this gorgeous book approximately 9,812 times, ooo-ing and ahh-ing over the mouth-watering creations. One of the cakes that has stood out (and my first from the book to recreate) is Wacky Cake.
I love the history behind Wacky Cake. It was a popular cake during the Depression Era because it requires very few ingredients (no eggs, milk or butter!) and it is beyond easy to make.
I’ll admit I was skeptical, then extremely happy that it turned out so well. I pushed the remnants into my husband’s arms as he walked out the door this morning because it was just too dangerous to keep around these parts.
The cake itself is moist and chocolatey and spongy-yummy. New favorite cake descriptor: spongy-yummy. It’s like a cake miracle, people. How in the world does this simple list of ingredients transform into such a moist, delicious cake?!
The chocolate-cake-caramel-frosting blew my mind. It shouldn’t have been such a delicious surprise since this combo has been a recent theme in my life (see: Chocolate Crunch Layer Cake).
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE WACKY CAKE
MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix very well and pour into a single layer in an ungreased 9×13 baking dish. Create three wells with your fingers down the center of the flour mixture (going lengthwise).
Pour the vegetable oil in one well, the vinegar in another and the vanilla in the last. Stir loosely. Add the water and stir until mixture is free of lumps.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
MAKE THE FROSTING
While the cake is baking, add the brown sugar, butter, milk, salt and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for 1 minute (still stirring), remove from heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge until the frosting is firm, about 20 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
Spread the cooled frosting onto the cake and top with chocolate chips.
THE BEST DESSERTS FOR PARTIES
Here are a handful of great party dessert options!
- Vanilla Sheet Cake turns out perfectly every single time. The cake is perfectly moist, flavorful and fluffy and topped with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, making it the perfect party dessert!
- Chocolate Cupcakes are perfect and super easy to make. They act as a solid base for any type of frosting. These cupcakes are moist, flavorful and chocolatey, making them the best easy dessert for any occasion!
- Cranberry Bliss Bars are even more delicious than the popular Starbucks treat. A delicious blondie is packed with cranberries, white chocolate chips and a hint of orange and is topped with dreamy cream cheese frosting! Great dessert to bring to parties!
- Who says you can’t make a cake in a crockpot?!? Chocolate covered cherries never tasted so good!
- Enjoy ice cream sandwiches made with chocolate chip cookie dough! These are the perfect summer treat!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats – Spruce up your Rice Krispies treats with this easy, no-bake dessert. Use corn syrup instead of marshmallows for this batch. Adding chocolate and peanut butter to the classic treat sends this dessert to the moon!
Wacky Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups warm water
FROSTING
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 6 tbsp. salted butter
- 6 tbsp. milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
TOPPING
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix very well and pour into a single layer in an ungreased 9×13 baking dish. Create three wells with your fingers down the center of the flour mixture (going lengthwise).
- Pour the vegetable oil in one well, the vinegar in another and the vanilla in the last. Stir loosely. Add the water and stir until mixture is free of lumps. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
MAKE THE FROSTING
- While the cake is baking, add the brown sugar, butter, milk, salt and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for 1 minute (still stirring), remove from heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge until the frosting is firm, about 20 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
- Spread the cooled frosting onto the cake and top with chocolate chips.
Notes
Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 20 minutes.
I made this yesterday and it is delicious! My frosting doesn’t look like yours though. It was runnier. It has set on the cake but I poured it on instead of spreading it. Maybe I didn’t leave it in the refrigerator long enough? It was well over 20 minutes as it was.
I’m sorry to hear that – it can be so frustrating when you follow the instructions. It could be the type of butter and consistency obtained with the sugar and milk added. Next time I would recommend mixing your butter and sugar, then adding just a little of the milk and maybe adding less until you see how the consistency works together. So many factors like altitude, brand of milk/fat content, etc can play a factor. I hope it tasted great though! Thanks for asking the question and sharing that you made the cake!
During the days of the Great Depression, it wasn’t always just the budget that dictated the menu. Ration coupons were issued, especially for sugar, due to its availability. My parents were married in 1945 and had family and friends saving their sugar coupons for them, just so they could have a wedding cake! Imagine how much more special that cake was.
Wow! That’s so interesting. We are very blessed, not to have to even contemplate that. I’m thankful I can make up all these delicious meals and not worry if there are ingredients I couldn’t use. That’s really special that your parents had such good friends to make their day special!
I’m thinking of replacing the warm water with coffee to intensify the chocolate flavor. It always amazes me how women during the Great Depression became so creative to be able to create delicious meals on a strict budget and nothing went to waste.
That is so true – we have a lot to learn from earlier generations. I love finding tips that are useful in the kitchen and household.
I have used 1 cup coffee and 1 cup water in wacky cake and the coffee intensifies the chocolate beautifully.
That’s a great tip to share. Thank you, Laurie!