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Chocolate Depression Cake with Mocha Buttercream with step by step photos. Chocolate Depression Cake is also known as War Cake was first made during the Great Depression. This cake is made without eggs, milk, and butter.
What is Chocolate Depression Cake?
Depression Cake is known as Wacky Cake or War Cake dates back to World War I. This type of cake was made during wartime when there was a shortage of eggs, milk, and butter.
Despite the Depression Chocolate Cake not containing eggs, milk, and butter, it is actually very moist. Top it with a Mocha Buttercream on top which makes it taste even better, and yes, Mocha Buttercream does indeed contain butter.
Depression Cake with Mocha Buttercream while in Quarantine
Somedays I just want dessert with a cup of tea/coffee to make myself happier. Baking is therapeutic for me, but I try to bake in moderation since I don’t particularly like eating too much sugar. I delivered this delicious Eggless Chocolate cake to family and a few friends. Who doesn’t love homemade cake while in quarantine? This chocolate cake is super easy to make and I’m sure you’ll have all these ingredients on hand.
How has Chocolate Depression Cake been modified?
- The original recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, I used 3/4 cup. Personally, I like my desserts sweet, not painfully sweet.
- Originally, all-purpose flour is used in this recipe, I modified this to use gluten-free flour. They are both interchangeable.
- Traditionally, there is no frosting on this cake, I topped mine with a Mocha Buttercream which is made with butter.
Chocolate Depression Cake with Mocha Buttercream is:
Moist
Delicious
Affordable
Simple
Eggless Dessert
Gluten-free (or you can use all-purpose flour for a gluten cake)
How to make Chocolate Depression Cake with Mocha Buttercream
STEP 1 – Make the Cake
1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients… gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. All-purpose flour works just fine.
2. Stir dry ingredients.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry… vanilla extract, vinegar, oil, and water.
4. Mix until well combined, do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into a greased square pan.
6. Into the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
STEP 2 – Make the Mocha Buttercream
1. Over a double-boiler on medium heat, add chocolate. The chocolate will take about 5-7 minutes to melt.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy.
3. To the butter, add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and instant coffee mixed with 1 tsp of water.
4. This is now Coffee Buttercream.
5. Once the chocolate is melted, let it cool for about 10-15 minutes. DO NOT ADD HOT CHOCOLATE TO THE BUTTERCREAM, ELSE IT WILL MELT.
6. Slowly add the cool and melted chocolate to the buttercream.
7. Mix well… this will turn into Mocha Buttercream
8. Once the cake cools, frost it with the Mocha Buttercream.
9. Slice into 16 pieces. Enjoy the cake with a cup of coffee, or tea!
More Chocolate Desserts!
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
- Absolute Best Chocolate Brownies
- Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Almond Buttercream & Coconut
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I’m happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
Chocolate Depression Cake with Mocha Buttercream (eggless, gluten-free, vegan – the cake part)
INGREDIENTS
for the Chocolate Depression Cake
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour, or use all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil, or any flavorless oil
- 1 cup water
for the Mocha Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp instant coffee
- 1 tsp hot water
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
INSTRUCTIONS
How to make Chocolate Depression Cake recipe step by step?
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients… flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. All-purpose flour works just fine.
- Stir dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry… vanilla extract, vinegar, oil, and water.
- Mix until well combined, do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into a greased square pan.
- Into the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
How to make Mocha Buttercream?
- Over a double-boiler on medium heat, add chocolate. The chocolate will take about 5-7 minutes to melt.
- Using an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy.
- To the butter, add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and instant coffee mixed with 1 tsp of water.
- This is now Coffee Buttercream.
- Once the chocolate is melted, let it cool for about 10-15 minutes. DO NOT ADD HOT CHOCOLATE TO THE BUTTERCREAM, ELSE IT WILL MELT.
- Slowly add the cool and melted chocolate to the buttercream.
- Mix well… this will turn into Mocha Buttercream
- Once the cake cools, frost it with the Mocha Buttercream.
- Slice into 16 slices. Enjoy a piece with a cup of coffee, or tea.
Question: if I wish to use a 6 inch pan…do I half the recipe given..?
HI Prachi – I haven’t tested this out. You may need to go with a smaller pan since I used a 9″ square pan I believe. The cake is not a lot of quantity to begin with. You can certainly try the 6″ pan and see. I’m iffy about doing this when there is leavening agents involved – like baking soda. Let me know if you try.
As a coffee and chocolate lover, this was a perfect combination for me. This cake is so decadent yet so simple and made with ingredients in my pantry already! Thank you Nisha for sharing such recipes with us !
Amazing amazing amazing! Super simple cake. It was my first time using gluten free flour but it still turned out GREAT! I would totally make this again and my husband and friends loved it! Thank you Nisha. Don’t forget that the butter should be room temp for the frosting. It was my first time doing the double boiler method for the chocolate too so looked up a video on how to do that on YouTube properly 🙂
I am a fairly new baker and this recipe was just amazing. Easy to make and tasted so divine. 8 people in my family devoured it. So delicious, thank you for this Nisha!
Excellent Cake and super del!!!
My daughter just recently turned dairy-free for her migraines and has a huge sweet tooth. While I was looking for something chocolate to make for her, I came across this recipe. It turned out moist and amazing and nobody believed that there was absolutely no dairy. Thank for this recipe
Cake was so delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe Nisha, my fam loved it. They couldn’t believe I made everything from scratch specially the icing, it was yumm. Your recipes are awesome, your family is so lucky to have you ❤️ Keep up the good work!
Made this for my sister-in-law who loves coffee and loves chocolate cake and she loved it!! Super easy and such a unique cake to surprise others with.
This was an amazing recipe! I am not a baker, and this was my first experience with baking a cake. The step by step instructions were easy to follow, and everyone loved it. I skipped the powdered sugar in the frosting b/c I didn’t have any but used milk chocolate chips, and it worked just fine.
Thanks Nisha!
Hi there..Thank you for this recipe..i made the cake today and it is very delicious but most recipes call for 1 teaspoon of vinegar while yours called for 1 tablespoon. My cake was extra moist and not easy to cut without breaking. Is that because of the vinegar? I would be very grateful for your reply!
Despite that part my cake is almost over as it was devoured by my boys! sooo sooo good! Thanks Nisha