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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.
I have made many chocolate cakes in the past both my own recipe and others. This cake is by far the BEST. It was super easy to make, the first bite was heaven, and it was not overly sweet. My husband loved it and so did all my sisters who have made the same recipe. Do yourself a favor and make this cake if you love chocolate cake or let alone any cake!!!
This cake was so easy to make! Literally my first time baking and cake out sooooo good.
Wonderful easy to follow recipe, our whole family loved it, my first time baking- so moist and fluffy. Perfection! Thanks for sharing this recipe Nisha.
This cake is delicious !! Initially was skeptical because my gluten free batter tasted a lot like besan , but came out nice and moist out of the oven and no one could tell it was gluten free 😀
You cannot miss the mocha frosting here cause it’s absolutely delicious and finger licking good ! Use the best quality chocolate!
I like that this is eggless and can be swapped for regular options
This recipe was a hit among my friends !
Love your blog !Thanks honey <3
Wonderful recipe! A huge hit for my husband’s birthday..he loved evey bite of it. It is soft , moist and delicious. Half cup butter yielded a lot of butter cream for me. Even without the frosting the cake is just as delicious !
I made this last weekend and it was so easy and of course, delicious! The buttercream is everything! It actually tasted better and better as the days progressed. I want to make it again today but know that I shouldn’t haha. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks, Nisha!
When you want chocolate cake, this is your go-to recipe because you are guaranteed to have these ingredients on hand! This cake was a superhit at my house. I have made it twice already, and it is super moist, delicious, and easy! Thanks, Nisha, for making this our weekend treat – we look forward to making it every Friday!
It was the easiest recipe I’ve ever tried!!! It was so gooey. It literally melted in our mouths!! Thank you! 🙂
This cake was delicious and so easy to make for the fam!
Loved the recipe !!! Very easy to make and delicious !! Everyone loved it in my family !!! Thanks a lot !!
This was my first attempt at baking.The recipe is really quick and easy to follow and the frosting is yum. Me n my husband loved the cake! Thank you Nisha for the yummy recipe ?
Amazing recipe! Everyone in my house absolutely LOVED this cake! Even my 65+ father in law and mother in law who never eat chocolate! Thank you Nisha Di for amazing and easy to follow recipes! Sorry no pictures the cake was gone before I could take a picture!
Love this recipe! Definitely a huge hit with my family. The cake turned out to be so soft and yummy ?
Omg my kids and the family loved this cake! My mom never eats cake but, this one she tried and loved it! Thank you Nisha for such an easy and effortless recipe.
I ended up using regular all purpose flour and I also made the buttercream frosting ! Mine came out a little dry but over all I really liked it and would try again !!!
This cake was perfect to fulfill the chocolate cake craving! Absolutely loved it! So easy and fast to make! Thank you Nisha 🙂
My husband was shocked at how moist and fluffy it was and that I didn’t use eggs!
Made the cake yesterday! I totally FAIL at baking but this made it so easy and it was actually very good. Great recipe for a beginner!
This recipe is so easy and quick and the result is delicious.
Thank you so much for this recipe.
Made this for my birthday, since I didn’t wanna go out and buy a cake in quarantine time. Turned out super delicious and made my birthday special. Even my husband loved it and he hates chocolate cakes. Thank you for saving the day!! This is our new fav cake recipe as now we both can enjoy chocolate cakes, Thanks to Nisha!!
Omg! This cake is so easy to make. My 3.5 year old son and I made it together! I used vegan butter and brown coconut sugar though. Added pecans on top too! So good!!!!