Author Notes: In the Depression, families sent many of their goods overseas leaving little for themselves. This did, however, spawn an incredible rush of recipes that took great advantage of this — Chocolate Depression Cake has no eggs, milk, nor butter so not only is it easy to make but cheaper too! This recipe is an inspired version of Sweet Little Blue Bird’s Crazy Cake with everything adjusted for a larger and more fulfilling cake. —Deactivated
Makes: one cake
Ingredients
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3
cups all-purpose flour
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6
tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
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2
cups white sugar
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2
teaspoons baking soda
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1
teaspoon salt
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2
teaspoons white vinegar
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2
teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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10
tablespoons vegetable oil
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2
cups water
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl mix your dry ingredients well.
- Make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour the vinegar in one small depression, the vanilla in the other — vegetable oil in the largest.
- Gently pour the water over everything.
- Mix well until smooth, gently folding the ingredients into one another.
- Pour into a circular springform 9 inches in diameter and 3 inches in height.
- Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 35 minutes. After the time has elapsed, check with a toothpick and place back in the oven in five minute intervals if necessary.
- Cool the cake and frost if desired.
- If you do frost, I would recommend only along the edges of the top and along the tops of the sides. The nature of the cake is to be quite dense, and though decadent it will fall slightly in the centre — frosting will make the cake fall more and cause it to be quite mushy. Discretion is advised.
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