• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hungry Enough To Eat Six
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Nancy Mock Food Writing
  • Hungry For Vermont
  • About Me
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • My Writing/Cook-Offs/Reviews
  • Delectable Destinations
  • Hungry For Vermont
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Our Grandmother's Chocolate Wacky Cake

    By Nancy Mock April 15, 2020 Updated July 2, 2022 8 Comments

    • Share647
    • Tweet
    Slice of chocolate cake next to a glass of milk.

    If you're a fan of moist, chocolaty cake you have to give this one a try! Why is it called wacky cake? Because it's made with no eggs, milk, or butter.

    Chocolate cake with strawberry frosting on a white plate.
    → Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Wacky cakes have been around since the 1940s. This WWII-era Depression cake was created out of necessity at a time when ingredients like butter were strictly rationed or scarce for many households. My chocolate wacky cake recipe comes from my grandmother Ruth's recipe box.

    Wedding photo of bride with grandparents on either side.

    My grandfather John loved desserts and had one pretty much every night. According to my mom, this wacky cake was one of his favorites.

    Yes, this is my grandmother's recipe.

    1970s photo of parents next to a teenager
    My grandparents at my uncle's wedding, 1974. Not sure what my Aunt Trish did to get THAT look!

    I'm stating this clearly, firmly—and proudly. Why? Because there's a popular and unfortunate trend I've seen lately on social media. To be clear, I am lucky and grateful because my readers and fans have been lovely, generous, positive, and supportive. But I do unfortunately see on the interwebs some folks who like to crab — about food bloggers who share their stories along with their recipes.

    What could be more natural than telling the story of holidays at grandparents' houses, discovering new ingredients on a trip abroad, of cooking from a young age at a parent's side, or falling in love over a sumptuous dinner? Even though scrolling through a post to get to the recipe is pretty dang easy for those in a hurry, some folks inexplicably take even more time from their day to direct griping, mean-spirited tweets, and posts at these creators.

    Well, I love the food from both of my grandmothers and from my parents. And everything I make and cook for my family and friends today began with them. So I will share stories and I hope you share yours, too.

    Woman from 1970s photo.

    (And incidentally, if my grandmother Ruth Riley were alive and heard folks saying mean stuff like that, she'd sure as hell would have given them a high-volume earful!)

    Now back to the Chocolate Wacky Cake!

    Glass of milk next to a slice of frosted cake.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    There are many reasons to love this wacky cake. First off it is made with no eggs, butter, or milk. This is handy when these ingredients are unavailable, or if you happen to be out of one or all of them.

    No eggs, butter, or milk also means this cake is vegan. That means chocolate cake for everyone!

    The cake batter comes together quickly and easily, which means it's a fun dessert to make with kids. (See below—you won't have to ask twice for kids to poke holes in something!)

    The simplicity of this chocolaty cake makes it a nice choice for an afternoon snack or an easy, after-dinner, chocolate dessert.

    Ingredients for a chocolate cake with a square pan.

    🔪 How to make our grandmother's Chocolate Wacky Cake

    Step 1: Prepare the dry ingredients

    Dry ingredients for a chocolate cake in a square pan.

    Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, and other dry ingredients. Pour them into a greased, square baking pan and spread them into an even layer.

    Step 2: Poke some holes

    Baking pan with dry ingredients, and 3 wells for liquid ingredients.

    Poke three holes into the dry mixture—one of the holes should be larger.

    Step 3: Add liquids

    Chocolate cake batter in a square baking pan.

    Pour oil into the larger hole. Vanilla and vinegar get poured into the other two holes. Pour the water into the pan and whisk everything together.

    Step 4: Bake!

    Baked chocolate cake in a square pan.

    Bake the cake for about 30 minutes: a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Once the cake has cooled completely on a wire rack, you can frost it, dust it with powdered sugar, and most importantly eat it.

    Chocolate cake on a round white plate.

    Notes:

    • Whisk or sift the dry ingredients well before adding them to the pan, to be sure the baking soda and salt are evenly distributed.
    • When mixing the wet and dry ingredients together don't forget to check the corners of the pan for pockets of dry stuff that need to be mixed in.
    • If the baked cake comes out with an uneven top, don't stress over it: just spread some extra frosting over the uneven spots!
    • Use your favorite frosting on this cake, anything that goes with chocolate. (Which is just about everything!) A dusting of confectioner's sugar also works on this cake, as would a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
    Chocolate cake on a white plate with a glass of milk.

    Ready to get wacky? I really hope so, because this is one tasty Chocolate Wacky Cake.

    Find the recipe below. And if you have a massive sweet tooth like my family, here are more sweet treats to consider:

    Lime In The Coconut Icebox Cake
    A cool, creamy make-ahead and no-bake dessert with the flavors of fresh lime, coconut and chocolate!
    Take me there
    You put the lime in the coconut... and put them both in this sweet and creamy, no-bake icebox cake!
    Aunt Clara’s Glazed Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
    These cookies are unique thanks to their soft texture and sweet topping. Aunt Clara's Glazed Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are a tasty, old-fashioned treat.
    Take me there
    Stacks of cookies with brown icing on a tray.
    Vanilla Apple Pie
    A delicious pie full of tart apple and rich vanilla flavor! Vanilla Apple Pie is made with a tender, pâté sucrée style pie crust.
    Take me there

    💬 What do you think of this chocolate wacky cake? Scroll down to leave a comment and a star rating!

    Glass of milk next to a slice of frosted cake.

    Our Grandmother's Chocolate Wacky Cake

    Nancy Mock
    This is a delicious and chocolaty snack cake that's so easy to make, especially with kids. Why is it wacky? Because it has no eggs, milk, or butter!
    5 from 3 votes. Tap stars to vote
    Print This Recipe Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Cake, Dessert, Snack
    Servings 9 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral flavored vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup water
    • Frosting of your choice, or confectioner's sugar to dust

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Use nonstick cooking spray or shortening to grease an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan.
    • In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour this dry mixture into the greased pan. Spread it into an even-ish layer.
    • Use the handle of a wooden spoon (or your finger!) to make three holes in the dry mixture - one of the holes should be a little larger than the other two.
    • Pour the canola oil into the larger hole. Pour the vinegar into one of the smaller holes, and finally pour the vanilla extract into the last hole.
    • Pour the cup of water over the whole thing and whisk everything together, mixing the dry ingredients with the wet until the cake batter is smooth. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to check the corners of the pan - sometimes pockets of dry ingredients will be hanging out there, and you'll want to stir these in. A few lumps in the batter is totally fine.
    • Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
    • Once the cake is cool you can frost it with the frosting of your choice. Or you can dust the top with confectioner's sugar. Slice the cake and serve - with a glass of cold milk! Topping slices with a dollop of whipped cream is also very good.
    • You can store this cake wrapped at room temperature or in the fridge for up to three days. It does taste very good chilled, so storing it in the fridge is my favorite.

    Variations:

    • To add some extra flavor or extra chocolate to this cake, stir in ⅔ cup of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips.

    Notes

    • Whisk or sift the dry ingredients well before adding them to the pan, to be sure the baking soda and salt are evenly distributed.
    • If the top of the baked cake is uneven, don't stress over it: just spread some extra frosting into the uneven areas!
    • When mixing the wet and dry ingredients together don't forget to check the corners of the pan for pockets of flour that need to be mixed in.
    • Use your favorite frosting on this cake, anything that goes with chocolate. (Which is just about everything!) A dusting of confectioner's sugar also works on this cake, as would a dollop of fresh whipped cream. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 253mgPotassium: 59mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment, tell me what you think!
    « Crunchy Catalina Taco Salad
    Lemon Drop Margarita »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. The Armchair Squid

      April 29, 2020 at 8:29 pm

      No stories? Somewhere, MFK Fisher is turning over in her grave!

      The ladies are baking a lot these days. Perhaps I can subtly suggest this recipe...

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        April 30, 2020 at 11:16 am

        Yes, exactly. I think your ladies would enjoy this recipe - quick, chocolaty, wacky... what's not to like?

        Reply
    2. Lori L. MacLaughlin

      April 17, 2020 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      The cake sounds delicious! Keep on telling those stories. I enjoy reading them.

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        April 18, 2020 at 6:37 pm

        Thanks Lori ❤️ I hope you and the kids get to try this cake!

        Reply
    3. Heidi

      April 16, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Nancy,
      I loved hearing the story behind this cake! I have an almost identical family recipe and we call it Steve's Chocolate Cake. Our recipe doesn't call for the 3 holes, but the ingredients are almost exactly the same! I don't know who "Steve" is, but this is a recipe passed around by some of my aunts and cousins. The frosting that we make to go with it is a chocolate sour cream frosting that is so rich and creamy. We also store ours in the fridge and I agree with you that it's so tasty this way. Everyone in my family loves this cake! I like your recipe as it makes a smaller cake (ours is 13 x 9 which is a bit much for just my immediate family). I'll have to give this a try!

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        April 17, 2020 at 8:17 am

        See? Everyone has a story behind their favorite foods - I’m so glad you shared yours!! I love that your family has a version of this cake recipe that they’ve passed down as well. It would be a fun project to unearth who Steve was! I think these frugal recipes were a lifesaver for families during lean times, and so not surprisingly they were made pretty frequently. I agree that the smaller size of this cake makes a perfect amount for a couple of days of dessert and no cake going to waste. Thank you for sharing this Heidi! 😍

        Reply
      • MeliB

        April 11, 2022 at 7:34 pm

        What is that pretty pink frosting on top? Do you have a recipe for that? Looks yummy!!

        Reply
        • Nancy Mock

          April 11, 2022 at 8:24 pm

          Indeed I do! I wrote an article for Taste Of Home, How To Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting, and used that frosting on my Wacky Cake. Here's a link to the frosting recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-strawberry-cream-cheese-frosting/ Enjoy it!

          Reply

    Ask Me Anything! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Woman smiling and standing next to rack with baking equipment.
    Hungry Enough To Eat Six.com

    Hi-ya! I'm Nancy Mock and I live in beautiful northern Vermont with my family.

    Hungry Enough To Eat Six is food inspiration through recipes, photography, and story!

    Find a recipe now - head to the Recipe Index.

    Seasonal

    • Blueberry Ketchup Recipe
    • Strawberry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake
    • Cherry Trifle In A Jar
    • The Best Recipes Using Radishes
    • Lilac Infused Whipped Cream
    • Cucumber Radish Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette

    Trending Recipes

    • Easy Spearmint Iced Tea Recipe

    • The Best Fruits of the Forest Pie Recipe

    • Fresh Basil Tomato Salsa

    • Homemade Irish Brown Bread Recipe

    • Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice

    • Sausage, Peppers & Onions on the Grill | Fair Food at Home

    As seen on:

    Logos for various websites

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About Me

    • ABOUT ME

    Newsletter

    • SIGN UP! for my newsletter

    Contact

    • CONTACT ME

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Banner with website logos

    © 2013-2022 Nancy Mock, Hungry Enough To Eat Six: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of content from this site without express and written permission is strictly prohibited. Contact Nancy Mock through the About Me page for permissions.

    ©2022 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme