Chocolate depression cake was popular during the Great Depression because it didn’t use any eggs, butter, or milk. The crazy part is how good it is! This homemade chocolate cake is rich, moist, delicious and super simple to put together. Make one to see for yourself.
This is my go to chocolate cake recipe! I use it as the base almost every time I need chocolate cake.
It is so easy to make. You can do it with a mixing bowl and whisk, no fancy equipment or ingredients required! It is sure to win you over as well!
I found this old fashioned chocolate cake recipe a magazine years ago and it quickly became my go to chocolate cake. It is so easy to put together and makes the softest chocolate cake we have ever had.
It is just a classic cake with rich chocolate flavor covered in a shiny chocolate fudge frosting. What’s not to love about that?
Why We Love This Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake Recipe
It is a rich, moist cake that begs for you to get every last crumb. The texture is soft and inviting too.
There is no mixer needed, nothing fancy to do. Just ingredients that I always have in my pantry. In less than an hour, with no softening of any ingredients, you have a cake!
If you are worried about the coffee granules in the recipe, don’t be. Not one person detected it. It just makes the chocolate flavor deeper (and doesn’t hurt the color either!)
I have gone back to this recipe as a base every time I have needed a chocolate cake for another application. As it turns out, I need a lot of chocolate cake… so that is really saying something!
Chocoholics love it when we finish the cake with shiny fudge frosting. It is smooth, luscious and that natural shine looks so inviting.
When using the fudge frosting, the middle layer of frosting almost melts into the layers of cake in such a luscious way. Mmmm!
If you aren’t in the mood for fudge frosting, never fear! There are so many great options. We really loved the creamy caramel sweetened condensed milk frosting on it as well!
This recipe doesn’t always have to be made as a layer cake either. It bakes great in a 9×13 and is an excellent base for something like a rolo poke cake!
The caramel makes delicious pockets of goodness in the cake and a nice fluffy ermine frosting coats it all!
I’ve also baked it up into mini chocolate bundt cakes and served it with peanut butter whipped cream. So as you can see, this recipe is super versatile.
Pretty much anything you need a chocolate cake recipe for, this beauty can fill in. Plus you are likely to have most of the ingredients on hand already!
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Tips and Tricks:
This recipe is super versatile, use it for a 9″ layer cake, bake it in a 9×13″ pan or even make cupcakes or mini bundts out of it.
One of my favorite parts about this recipe is there are no ingredients that need to come to room temperature. You can whip up a cake whenever you feel like it.
You don’t need any fancy equipment for the cake, just a bowl and whisk will do. Just make sure to get all of the flour incorporated without over mixing it. That’s the key for a tender cake.
Have fun with it! This cake is a perfect starter cake if you want to get into making homemade cakes. It is also a great easy recipe for seasoned bakers.
There is a reason it gets rave reviews from everyone who makes it. Do yourself a favor and give it a go!
Dairy and Egg Free Batter
When you look at the ingredient list, don’t be surprised to find there are no eggs. It seems really strange, but it is correct… no eggs.
I think that is part of what gives the cake it’s great soft texture. I have plenty of cake recipes with eggs and those a great too, but in this instance the recipe is perfect without.
I have had several people ask me if it’s an accident that they aren’t in the ingredient list. While I do occasionally make mistakes like that, I assure you this time it is on purpose.
There is no butter or milk in the batter either. So the cake is great for people with sensitivities or even people who are vegan.
You will have to pick another frosting for sure, but the cake itself is the perfect base for whatever you decide to make!
Why do you add vinegar to this cake?
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create the bubbles that give your cake lift as it bakes. That is what gives this cake its soft texture and airy crumb.
More Fun Cake Recipes to Try:
If you want a smaller chocolate cake, try making a chocolate mayonnaise cake. It is a single layer of chocolate cake with just enough chocolate frosting on top.
For another super soft cake, try making a lemon velvet cake. Or if vanilla is more your style, make a pink velvet cake.
Check out my full collection of cake recipes for more inspiration!
Storage
As long as you use a frosting that that doesn’t require refrigeration, the best way to store a cake is covered at room temperature. It will stay good for several days that way.
For longer storage you can put extra slices in freezer containers and store them for up to 3 months. Just defrost and enjoy when you need a sweet treat.
Chocolate Depression Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups hot water
- ¾ cup oil
- 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9 inch round cake pans or a 9×13" pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.2 cups granulated sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a second bowl, mix together water, oil, vinegar, coffee and extracts.2 cups hot water, ¾ cup oil, 2 Tablespoons white vinegar, 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- For a layer cake: Divide batter between the two pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- Cool cakes for about 15 minutes and then invert onto a baking rack to cool the rest of the way.
- For a 9×13: pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick tests clean.
- Once completely cooled, frost the cake. We will always like the shiny fudge frosting, but also love this cake with cream cheese frosting and whipped cream frosting.
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Give me chocolate every single time!! Looks delish, Carlee!
Me too! One of our friends just made this cake for her niece's birthday and was showing me pictures, now I want to make it again! Thanks, Mollie!
Yum!!! now I seriously want to go play in the kitchen.
You should! It is a great day for baking!
Nothing wrong with the classic chocolate cake. Thanks for sharing at #Throwback Thursday. Please join us again and remember this week will focus on Thanksgiving recipes.
I'll have to break out some of my favorites!
Beautiful and delicious looking cake!! I'd looooooooooove a huge slice 🙂
Thank you! I'd be happy to share 😉
Nothing beats a good chocolate cake…except for a peanut butter cake!
Oh my, having both around made it really hard to choose!! Thanks for stopping by, I'm sure I'll be seeing you Friday!
It was really good! I am glad most of it disappeared during the party, it would have been very dangerous for me if I knew there were leftovers hanging around!
Thank you! After hosting the mother's day dessert buffet, Little Dude’s birthday and then my mother-in-law's wedding three weekends in a row, I need to detox from sugar! But, I'm sure in a day or two I'll be ready to make something new!
This sounds delicious. I love the coffee snuck in there. I bet it does make the cake better.
The coffee really does add some depth to the chocolate without making it taste like coffee. Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you had a great Memorial Day!
Oh yum! I bet your little guy was so happy with his cake (and frosting)! Thank you for sharing at the Talented Tuesday Link Party!
The worst part was that it was gone too quickly! Though we have been doing a lot of sweets around here lately, so it was kind of nice that it was mostly gone by the end of the party 😉