Recipe Series: Chocolate Depression Cake

This cake gets its name from the Great Depression, when it was first popularized because it contains no eggs, butter, or milk (therefore, it's vegan). Nonetheless, it is extremely fluffy and very moist. You can use the icing recipe included or leave it un-iced (we dusted ours with powdered sugar). We found the recipe on budgetbytes.com.

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Ingredients:

For the cake

• 1 1/2 cups (355 mL) all-purpose flour

• 1 cup (237 mL) granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt

• 1/3 cup (78 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/3 cup (78 mL) cooking oil (any neutral cooking oil will do)

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) light vinegar

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

• 1 cup (237 mL) water

For the icing

• 1/4 cup (59 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) water

• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177° C). In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder until well combined. Add 1 cup water to a liquid measuring cup, then add the vanilla extract and vinegar to the water. Add the oil to the bowl of dry ingredients, followed by the water mixture. Stir until the batter is mostly smooth. Make sure no dry flour remains on the bottom of the bowl. Pour the cake batter into an 8"x8" or 9"x9" baking dish. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake the cake for 35 minutes.

For the icing, if using: Let the cake cool for at least an hour before preparing the icing. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Begin adding the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it forms a thick but pourable icing. If you let the icing sit, it may begin to dry, but you can add more water to make it moist again. Pour the icing over the cooled cake and spread until the cake is evenly covered. Slice the cake and serve.

Recipe taken from the website BudgetBytes.com. Posted by Beth Moncel. Copyright 2026 Budget Bytes.