Depression Cake

Depression cake is a cake that was made during the depression. The cake has no milk, butter, or eggs because they were to expensive or hard to get. This cake has really come into it own now with so many people developing allergies to dairy and eggs.

You will notice something weird in the ingredient list, but it is vital you use it, and that's vinegar. I promise you will not taste it at all in the cake. The vinegar is used for leavening.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups cold water

Directions

Sift flour, sugar, salt, soda, and cocoa together in a bowl. Make three wells ( I make a happy face to offset the depressing name of the cake).

 

  Pour oil into one well, vinegar into second, and vanilla into the third. Pour cold water over all, and stir well with fork.

 Grease and flour a 9x13 pan and pour in the batter. Now you have the option to add some extra richness to the cake by sprinkling 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top.

 Bake at 350 degrees F  for 35 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. I don't frost mine since it is so moist but you can sprinkle it with powder sugar or frost if you like.

The edges roll on this cake (hubby loves the edges this way so I don't fuss about it) so if you want perfect corners just flip the cake onto a platter or cake board. You can also make a layer cake if you wish just use two nine inch rounds and reduce bake time by about 10 minutes.