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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Emergency Chocolate Cake

Makes an 8-inch square cake

1 hour 15 minutes active, plus cooling

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This ultra-easy chocolate cake, made without eggs, milk and butter, is also known as crazy cake because it doesn’t require ingredients standard to most cakes. It’s said to originate during the Great Depression when ingredients were scarce—hence another of its monikers, chocolate Depression cake. Cocoa powder rather than bar chocolate supplies the chocolate flavor and rich color. Either Dutch-processed (i.e., alkalized) cocoa or natural cocoa works, just be sure it is unsweetened. Water is the traditional liquid for these cakes, but we prefer coffee, as it bolsters the chocolate notes. If you prefer, decaf or simply water can be used in both the batter and the icing. The flavor will be a little milder but still good.

Makes an

8-inch square cake

Tip

Don’t overmix the batter, which will develop gluten and cause the cake to have a firmer, tougher texture. It also won’t rise properly.

1 hour

15 minutes active, plus cooling

For the cake:

  • 260

    grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour

Directions

Reviews
LORENE S.
June 8, 2026
Amazing. . .
This cake is unbelievably light. And so easy to make.
JILL M.
May 10, 2026
Delicious
I made this last night it was very chocolaty and delicious. Mine only baked for 40 minutes. It was cracked and pulling away at the sides at that point. Also, be careful with the glaze. I added the 3 tablespoons of coffee but it was not enough. I added another tablespoon but it was too much. Nice bonus that it’s vegan.
NADINE L.
April 13, 2026
Easy, moist and delicious cake.
Wow! This easy recipe DELIVERS. This was a moist cake with deep chocolatey flavour. Leftovers lasted 5 days without any drying out (though I am amazed it lasted that long it was so delicious). . We paired our slices with a cherry compote. It is vegan too, so I could feed this to vegan family members. I had forgotten the magic of the foundational wacky cake template. Another winner from Milk Street. Thanks! I loved the addition of the coffee, it really does lend the cake a sophisticated flavor. Outstanding.
DEBBI W.
March 31, 2026
Emergency chocolate cake
Cake is easy easy easy & delicious. But the icing not so much. It’s too runny & I promise I followed recipe exactly as written. Also found it too one-note; maybe due to the fact that I used water instead coffee? Anyone else have icing that was too runny? As I said, cake is delicious & really easy.
Eva
February 25, 2026
Delicious!
This cake is so easy and deliciously decadent. The addition of the coffee takes it all the way there. This recipe will be placed on repeat again and again ;) Has anyone tried this as a cupcake with liners in a muffin tin? Any advise on this would be great.

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