This classic Chocolate Wacky Cupcake recipe dates back to the depression era (or earlier). It is simply one of the easiest, most delicious, and moist chocolate cupcake recipes out there! It naturally requires no milk, no eggs, and no nuts, and can easily accommodate many food allergies and intolerances. Wacky Chocolate Cupcakes are also so quick that it’ll take longer for your oven to heat up than to mix up the batter.
I have a major weakness for chocolate cake (especially if it also has chocolate frosting) – as in it is, hands down, my favorite food. Not chocolate candy, but chocolate cake specifically. So, it’s about time I offer an allergy friendly chocolate cake recipe. I also get weekly searches on my page for “chocolate cake”, which has yielded no results until now. Here it finally is!
This is not a Safely Delish original recipe, as it’s a recipe that has been around for many, many years. However, these are just so tasty that I had to share the recipe here. This is the version I use, and it yields consistently delicious results.
Today is my mom’s birthday. While we’re social distancing due to COVID-19, I still wanted to make something sweet for her to enjoy. I didn’t have a boxed mix, and wasn’t going to make a trip to the grocery store for just one thing. I began looking up cake recipes, and many seemed to either require cake flour, or more ingredients than I cared to deal with. Parenting a toddler and a baby 24/7, I needed something tried, true, and QUICK.
Chocolate Wacky Cake (also called Depression Cake or Crazy Cake) was a popular recipe during the Great Depression, when milk and eggs were expensive and scarce. As the world currently battles COVID-19, this recipe also helps preserve our milk and eggs, with most of us limiting unnecessary grocery trips.
I’ve also successfully made this recipe with GF flour in the past, which even makes them Top 8 Free cupcakes! The texture is a little denser, but still very tasty.
Try some of my other allergy friendly cakes and desserts:
These Chocolate Wacky Cupcakes are:
- Egg Free
- Dairy Free
- Peanut Free
- Tree Nut Free
- *Soy Free (use canola oil, or another neutral soy-free oil)
- Vegan
- *Wheat/Gluten Free (for GF, be sure to substitute 1:1 all purpose GF flour, such as Hungry Harry’s, Better Batter, or Namaste Perfect Flour Blend)
Chocolate Wacky Cupcakes – Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp (heaping tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp vinegar (white or ACV)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners (you may need 12-14, depending on size).
- In large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt).
- Make 2 smaller dents (or depressions) and one larger dent in dry ingredients. Pour vinegar in one small dent, vanilla in second small dent, and oil in larger dent. Pour water over the top, and mix all ingredients together with a large spoon.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 to 3/4 full (makes 12-14 cupcakes). Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting with icing of choice. See notes for the cream cheese frosting I used!
Notes
- 4 ounces plain cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (half stick) butter, softened or room temperature
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of vanilla
- Dash of salt (Optional)
- 2 cups of powdered sugar.
Try some of my other allergy friendly cakes and desserts:
I made this today as a trial run for my son’s birthday at day care to celebrate with his friends. Very yummy and moist.
Will definitely be making it again for the big day 🙂
I’m s glad you enjoyed! This one is one of my personal favorites. 🙂
nice recipe
Can I please use an Allergy free baking flour? My daughter is allergic to wheat
Hello! I have used Namaste GF flour for these (in cake form) before, and it turned out great!
Can I add applesauce to this recipe
Hello! I haven’t tried adding applesauce to this recipe, since it’s a classic recipe that didn’t originally call for it. However, I have made chocolate muffins and breads with applesauce, and it adds moisture and works well as an additional binder. I’m not sure how it would turn out, but if you do decide to give it a try, I would reduce some of the wet ingredients by the same amount, OR add a little extra flour to make up for it. (It’s hard to guess ratios without actually trying it, so I’m not sure of the amounts).