Crazy Cake Recipe: The Amazing No-Egg, No-Yeast Chocolate Cake

ByEmily Cake
he Amazing No-Egg, No-Yeast Chocolate Cake

Imagine creating a rich, moist chocolate cake without eggs, butter, or milk. Sounds impossible? Welcome to the world of Crazy Cake, a Depression-era marvel that’s making a triumphant comeback in modern kitchens. This simple one-bowl wonder uses pantry staples and a clever chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda to create a soft, tender crumb that rivals any traditional cake. Whether you’re vegan, dealing with allergies, or simply caught without eggs in the house, this recipe proves that sometimes the best desserts come from the most unexpected methods. Ready to discover why this cake earned its “crazy” name?

Ingredients

For an 18-20 cm (7-8 inch) round cake pan:

  • 170g/1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 140g/1¼ cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 50g/½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 100ml/⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil)
  • 250ml/1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Variations:

  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon for autumn spice
  • Zest of 1 orange for citrus notes
  • 50g/⅓ cup chocolate chips
  • 50g/⅓ cup chopped nuts

Instructions

Preparing the Pan:

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Take an 18 to 20 cm round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of baking paper. You can also lightly grease the sides with a small amount of oil. This recipe uses a unique method where you’ll mix the batter directly in the cake pan, saving you from washing extra bowls.

Mixing the Dry Ingredients:

Add the flour directly into your prepared cake pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom. Add the icing sugar over the flour. The powdered consistency of icing sugar dissolves more quickly than granulated sugar, creating a smoother, more refined texture in the finished cake. Sprinkle the unsweetened cocoa powder over the sugar. This brings the deep chocolate flavor that makes this cake irresistible.

Add the baking soda, distributing it evenly over the dry ingredients. This is your leavening agent and the secret to the cake’s rise. Take a whisk and thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients together for about 1 minute. This whisking serves two purposes: it aerates the mixture and eliminates any lumps, essentially sifting your ingredients without a separate sieve.

Adding the Wet Ingredients:

Create three small wells or indentations in your dry mixture using the back of a spoon. Pour the water into the pan, distributing it evenly over the dry ingredients. The water hydrates the flour and helps the cocoa develop its full chocolate depth. Pour the oil over the mixture. The oil provides moisture and keeps the cake tender for days without refrigeration.

Add the vanilla extract to one of the wells you created. Finally, pour the vinegar into the mixture. As soon as the vinegar touches the baking soda, you’ll see tiny bubbles forming. This chemical reaction between the acid and the base creates carbon dioxide gas, which will help the cake rise and create a light texture.

Mixing and Baking:

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir the mixture in circular motions, starting from the center and working your way outward. Mix just until all ingredients are combined and you have a smooth, uniform batter with no dry pockets of flour. Don’t overmix; about 30 to 40 seconds of stirring is sufficient. The batter will be relatively thin and pourable.

Gently tap the pan on your counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place the pan in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should look set and may have a slight crack, which is perfectly normal.

Cooling and Serving:

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. This is important: let the cake cool completely in the pan for at least 20 minutes before attempting to remove it. The structure needs time to set, and removing it too early may cause it to break. Once cooled, run a knife gently around the edges, place a plate over the top, and carefully flip to unmold.

Serve the cake as is, dust with additional icing sugar, drizzle with chocolate ganache, or accompany with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a simple glaze, mix 100g icing sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and pour over the cooled cake.

Time, Servings, and Nutrition

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8-10 slices

Nutrition per serving: Calories: 215 | Protein: 3g | Carbohydrates: 32g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 140mg | Sugar: 18g

Why This Recipe is Good for You

This Crazy Cake offers unexpected benefits beyond its delicious taste. As a vegan dessert, it’s naturally free from cholesterol and contains no animal products, making it suitable for those with egg or dairy allergies. The recipe is also economical, using affordable pantry staples without expensive ingredients. The cocoa powder provides antioxidants and a small amount of iron and magnesium. Because it uses oil instead of butter, the cake stays moist for several days at room temperature without refrigeration, reducing food waste. This recipe can easily be adapted for gluten-free diets by substituting with gluten-free flour blends. The simplicity of this one-bowl method also means less stress in the kitchen, making baking accessible for beginners while still delivering impressive results that everyone can enjoy.

Storage: Keep the cake well wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.