Eggless chocolate cake recipe with video & step by step photos – This simple moist, soft chocolate cake has no butter, no eggs, no milk in it except for the frosting which uses little butter & milk. This cake is made with almost very basic ingredients and is popularly known as wacky cake or depression cake. It was born during the world war 2 as a result of introducing the rationing system by the British government to overcome the food shortages.
This cake was baked during those times as it needed only the basic ingredients like flour, oil, soda and sugar. Ingredients like eggs, milk and butter which were in shortage were not needed.
Eggless chocolate cake is one of the quickest and can be made even by a beginner without any hassles. This recipe had been very popular almost a decade ago and had come in many food magazines and columns.
It turns out very soft, moist, spongy and very light. A simple whipped cream frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting goes well on this cake.
Notes on eggless chocolate cake
(*updated)
1. Can maida/ all-purpose flour be replaced with wheat flour?
Yes, But the cake turns dense and the flavor alters too. If you like to try, use very fine ground wheat flour. Next add in 1 to 2 tbsp more of water.
2. Can I use butter instead of oil?
Yes oil can be substituted with melted butter. But oil makes the cake more moist.
3. Can I replace water with milk?
Yes I have made this cake many times using milk. The texture turns slightly dense.
If you plan to make the cake with wheat flour, butter & milk, then to improve the taste & texture pour some sugar syrup over the cake to keep it moist. For the sugar syrup, boil 2 tbsps sugar in 4 tbsps water until the sugar dissolves and begins to boil well. Cool this and pour over the cake after cooling completely. Go ahead frosting the cake.
Tips to make the best eggless chocolate cake
1. Make sure you use good quality baking soda. Do not increase the quantity of soda as it may leave a bitter taste.
2. Use good quality vinegar that is meant for cooking. If possible use apple cider vinegar.
If you do not have a oven you can also bake this cake in a cooker or a heavy bottom pot. You can check this post on How to make cake in cooker.
I also use this recipe to make the base for Eggless black forest cake
For more Cake Recipes, you can check
Eggless vanilla cake
Sponge cake without eggs
Eggless fruit cake
Eggfree carrot cake
Apple cake – eggless
Chocolate banana cake without egg
Eggless banana bread
Eggfree banana muffins
Eggless chocolate cake recipe
Eggless chocolate cake recipe | How to make eggless chocolate cake
Vegan chocolate cake, called as wacky cake or depression cake. Turns out soft and moist. To make the cake rich use milk and melted butter. Eggless chocolate cake with 2 delicious frostings.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
Ingredients for eggless chocolate cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or organic maida or wheat flour (180 grams)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (use good quality cocoa)
- 1 tsp Baking soda (check expiry date)
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 cup sugar (organic, or 1.5 cups jaggery)
- 1 cup Water (use milk to make rich cake)
- 1/3 cup oil or 80 ml (coconut or canola or light olive oil or melted butter)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar or plain vinegar, use good quality)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract (or vanilla powder or essence as needed)
For the chocolate sauce (Frosting 1 - method 1)
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 tbsps cocoa powder
- 4 to 6 tbsp sugar (or powdered jaggery as needed)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
or For chocolate buttercream frosting (Frosting 2 - method 2)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (soft but cold)
- 3 tbsps cocoa powder (good quality)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (or icing sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 to 2 ½ tbsps milk (or whipping cream)
How to make the recipe
Preparation for eggless chocolate cake recipe
Preheat the oven to 170 C for at least 15 mins.
- Grease a 8 or 9 inch round cake pan & drizzle some flour on it. or Line with a parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix plain flour, cocoa,salt and baking soda. Sieve the mix at least twice to aerate the flour .
Add sugar and mix it well. I use fine sugar. If you are using coarse one then you can also dissolve it in 1 cup water (called for the recipe) and pour it in the next step.
How to make eggless chocolate cake
- Make a well in the center. Pour water,oil, vanilla and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Gently begin to mix well. Do not over mix.
- Pour it to the cake pan. Knock it a few times against the kitchen counter.
- Bake for 25 to 28 mins. Check after 23 mins. To check if it is completely baked, insert a skewer in the center of the cake and check. It must come out clean.
- Allow it to cool down for 8 to 10 mins.
- Invert it gently on a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely.
- You can frost the cake if you like or just sprinkle some powdered sugar.
- This eggless chocolate cake tastes best the next day.
Making chocolate sauce (Frosting 1)
Mix together milk, cocoa & sugar until lumpfree & smooth. Begin to cook on a low to medium heat stirring constantly until slightly thick & creamy. Taste it and add more sugar if needed. Cool down & pour on the cake. Spread with spatula. For step by step pics, refer this Ragi cake
OR Making frosting for eggless cake (Frosting 2)
- Add butter to a large bowl and beat it until soft and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or just a whisk.
- Add cocoa and powdered sugar to a sieve. Sieve it well.
Pour vanilla and 2 tbsps milk or cream. Mix them up lightly.
- Then whisk or beat until everything turns smooth fluffy and light. It must be of spreadable consistency. If it is too thick, then add another half to 1 tbsp milk or cream. Beat well until it reaches a good consistency.
- Spread a tbsp of frosting on your cake stand. Place 4 - 2 by 8 inch parchment paper strips across the four sides of the cake stand. Place the cake over these papers with the frosting beneath the cake. Do not over beat else the butter begins to melt. If needed you can keep it in the fridge for a while.
- Scoop off a good amount of frosting to the cake. Begin to spread from the center and then towards the sides. Place the cake in the fridge for about 40 mins. Then smoothen the cake with a spatula. Remove the parchment papers gently.
- Eggless chocolate cake is ready.
Recipe Video
Video of eggless chocolate cake recipe
Recipe Notes
Notes on eggless chocolate cake recipe
If using jaggery / palm sugar / coconut sugar, do use one without soda content. Dissolve it in water and then filter it.
To make the cake rich, you can use melted butter and milk.
How to make eggless chocolate cake
1. Preheat the oven to 170 C. Grease a cake pan and drizzle some flour all over on the sides and bottom. Invert it & pat it off over the kitchen sink to remove the excess flour. If using a aluminum pan, I highly suggest using parchment paper to line the cake tray. If not then the cake may turn bitter due to the soda in the cake batter.
2. Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl. Add flour, cocoa, salt and soda.
3. Mix them gently. Sieve them together twice. This aerates the flour and makes the cake light.
4. Add sugar and mix well. I used organic fine sugar. If using coarse sugar then you can also dissolve it in 1 cup water (called for the recipe) and use in the next step. If using jaggery, dissolve and filter it.
5. Make space for the liquid ingredients in the center.
6. Pour water.
7. Pour oil. I have used organic virgin coconut oil. Do use some light oil otherwise the cake may smell oily.
8. Next add vanilla extract.
9. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice or vinegar. Make sure you use a good quality vinegar. I have used organic apple cider vinegar.
10. Mix all these well gently just until well combined.
11. You will notice that the cake batter begins to bubble up. The acidic ingredient vinegar or lemon juice begins to react with the baking soda. Do not over mix at this stage, it may make the cake dense.
Baking eggless chocolate cake
12. Pour the cake batter to the pan. Knock it to the kitchen counter a few times.
13. Bake it in the preheated oven for 25 to 28 mins. Check after 25 mins. The timings may vary depending on the oven. So bake it until the skewer inserted comes out clean.
14. Allow it to cool down for 8 to 10 mins. Invert it on a cake rack.
15. Remove the parchment papers. Cool it completely. If you prefer to frost you can do a chocolate frosting or you can just dust some powdered sugar and some sprinkles.
This eggless chocolate cake tastes best the next day. It keeps good at room temperature for 2 days and in the fridge for 6 to 7 days.
I made a super quick chocolate buttercream frosting, please follow the recipe card for details.
Yashica says
Hi , I tried to make as directed in log microwave . It got very hard and burnt at 11 mins before the mentioned time as per you . Disappointed..
swasthi says
Hi Yashica
I don’t know what a log microwave is. This recipe is not tested for the kind of oven you have.
Gargi says
Hii!! The cake turns out awesome everytime I bake it! But I made the frosting today, and it was a little bitter. Also, what to do with the leftover frosting?
swasthi says
Hi Gargi
Thank you so much for rating the recipe. Which frosting did you try? If it is the first one, then it just needs more sugar. I will update it in the recipe card. You can refrigerate and use it upto a month. It goes great as topping with pancakes, ice cream, cupcakes etc.
A V S says
Turned out amazing Swasthi!! Thank you for the amazing recipe. It was a moment of joy seeing it come out complete and intact on the cake rack. My first time baking a cake.
And the taste is yumm!!
swasthi says
Hi A V S,
Very happy to know the cake turned out good. Thank you so much for the comment.
🙂
A V S says
Can i use American Garden apple cedar vinegar.. im confused as there were more types in the market?
swasthi says
Yes You can use. You can also use lemon juice
A V S says
Does this need to be refrigerated or can be kept outside and will still be good?
swasthi says
It depends on the temperature where you live. The cake without frosting keeps good without refrigeration for 3 days. If frosted it is good to refrigerate.
A V S says
Thank you