Lemon Crazy Cake also known as Wacky Cake & Depression Cake – No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter, No Bowls and No Mixers! Dates back to the Great Depression. This is a great cake recipe to try with your kids during this time at home. Not only is it wacky but it is delicious!
Lemon Crazy Cake – No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter
This Lemon Crazy Cake is so moist and has the perfect lemon taste, which in my opinion is perfect for springtime! The families that lived through the depression were masters of saving money and creating recipes with limited ingredients. Just like our current state, some ingredients like milk and eggs were difficult to find and rationed in the Depression. This cake has also been called War Cake, or Poor Man’s Cake.
Ingredients:
For Cake:
1 ½ cup Flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp white distilled vinegar
5 TBSP canola oil
1 cup water
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3 drops of yellow food coloring
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 cup Powdered sugar
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×9 square glass baking dish.
2. Using a large bowl, mix until combined the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt until combined.
3. Make 3 impressions into the dry ingredients and Pour the lemon juice, oil, and vinegar into one each of the holes.
4. Add lemon zest the the dry ingredients.
5. Pour the water over all ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Mix in the yellow food coloring and mix well.
7. Pour batter into the baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
8. Once done, allow cake to cool completely and begin making frosting.
9. Using a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mix until smooth.
10. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until combined.
11. Spread onto the cooled cake and enjoy!
Lemon Crazy Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
- 5 TBSP canola oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 Lemons zested and juiced
- 3 drops yellow food coloring optional
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 square glass baking dish.
-
Using a large bowl, mix until combined the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt until combined.
-
Make 3 impressions into the dry ingredients and pour the lemon juice, oil, and vinegar into one each of the holes.
-
Add lemon zest the the dry ingredients.
-
Pour the water over all ingredients and mix until combined.
-
Mix in the yellow food coloring and stir completely.
-
Pour batter into the baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
-
Once done, allow to cool completely and make cream cheese frosting.
-
Using a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mix until smooth.
-
Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until combined.
-
Spread cream cheese frosting onto the cooled cake and enjoy!
Crazy Cake Recipe
Simple right? Simple and fun! This is the best cake recipe to use with kids. It is so cool to see the ingredients come together – it is CRAZY!! No dairy and it is so delicious and moist.
Have you tried a Depression or Crazy Cake before? I am excited to try other flavors soon!
WE ARE A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN FEES BY LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES.
Have you tried it without the food coloring? Wondering what the natural color would be? A paler yellow? I will try this!