• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Free Bonus
  • About

Boulder Locavore® logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Free Bonus
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Free Bonus
    • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Desserts (Baked) » Espresso Wacky Cake with Coffee Frosting

    LAST UPDATED: December 28, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: April 19, 2020 By Toni Dash 45 Comments

    Espresso Wacky Cake with Coffee Frosting

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Espresso Wacky Cake title image

    Coffee Lovers take note: Espresso Wacky Cake with Coffee Frosting is for YOU! Also called ‘Crazy Cake’ or Depression Cake, this clever cake doesn’t require any eggs, butter or dairy products either. But you’d never guess that from the moist, rich cake!

    Espresso Wacky Cake title image
    WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
    Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox (and more recipes every week)!
    Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
    Loading

    Espresso Wacky Cake title image

    This coffee frosting is completely delicious! You’ll love Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting on this cake too.

    What is Wacky Cake?

    Known as Wacky cake, ‘Crazy Cake‘ or Depression Cake, this type of cake was developed after World War II when certain supplies were hard to find. 

    The cake does not need eggs, butter or dairy products to make a moist, flavorful cake.

    It rises thanks to a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.

    You’ll never taste the vinegar.

    It’s a fun cake to make and perfect regular cake ingredients aren’t available. Also great for anyone dairy-free.

    stack of espresso cake square

    Espresso Cake

    Wacky cake is usually made as a chocolate cake.

    The addition of some hot coffee transforms this recipe to rich, mocha flavored cake.

    Complete with an easy frosting hack for Coffee Frosting!

    Ingredients

    • All purpose flour (regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend)
    • Unsweetened cocoa powder
    • Granulated sugar
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • ground Cinnamon
    • White vinegar
    • Vanilla extract
    • Vegetable oil
    • Hot prepared coffee

    Crazy Cake Ingredients

    Ingredient Notes

    Flour

    Either regular All Purpose Flour OR gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend can be used for this recipe.

    Hot Coffee

    Using hot prepared coffee (or room temperature) really brings out a rich cocoa flavor. 

    It can be previously made coffee warmed in a microwave.

    Espresso Wacky Cake slice on a plate above

    Coffee Frosting

    This frosting hack is fast and easy.

    A prepared tub of either vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting with some espresso powder create a delicious coffee frosting!

    If espresso powder is unavailable to you, instant coffee also may be used.

    The flavor will be slightly different but still good.

    spresso cake bite on fork

    Other Frosting Ideas

    If you’d rather make homemade frosting here are some ideas:

    Prepared Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting

    Strawberry Frosting

    Cream Cheese Butter Cream Frosting – use the frosting from the recipe in the link.

    Whipped Cream

    Espresso Wacky Cake slice on a plate

    How to Make Espresso Wacky Cake – Step-by-Step

    STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch pan (square or round) with non-stick spray.

    STEP 2: In a mixing bowl combine: flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (photo 1 & 2).

    Espresso Crazy Cake recipe steps 1-4

    STEP 3: Pour in the vinegar, oil, vanilla extract and hot coffee (photos 3-6). Blend just until combined (photo 7).

    Espresso Wacky Cake recipe steps 5-8

    STEP 4: Pour the batter into the prepared pan (photo 8). Hit the bottom of the pan on the counter top a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

    Preparing the Coffee Frosting

    Ingredients (photo 9)

    STEP 5: Combine espresso powder with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Mix to dissolve the espresso. 

    STEP 6: Add the espresso liquid to the prepared frosting. Stir to completely combine (photo 10).

     

    Coffee Frosting recipes steps photos

    Frost the Espresso Wacky Cake when fully cooled.

    crazy cake frosted with coffee frosting

    How to Store

    In the Refrigerator

    Store tightly sealed for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

    More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Italian Cream Cake
    • The Best Hummingbird Cake
    • Chocolate Zucchini Cake
    • Strawberry Cake
    • Lemon Pound Cake with Blueberry Swirl
    • Gingerbread Cake with Butter Rum Toffee Sauce

    Espresso Wacky Cake slice on a plate from side

    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK , TWITTER , INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST !

    Recipe

    Espresso Wacky Cake title image

    Espresso Depression Cake

    Mocha flavored Espresso Wacky Cake is easy to make and requires no eggs, butter and is dairy-free! You'll never guess that from the rich flavors. A pre-made frosting hack whips up Coffee Frosting to top it off.
    5 from 26 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 29 minutes minutes
    Cooling Time (estimate): 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 59 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16
    Calories: 255kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
    • 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
    • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
    • 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
    • 1 cup hot Coffee

    Coffee Frosting

    • 1 16-ounce container prepared Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting
    • 2 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch pan (square or round) with non stick cooking spray.
    • Whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
    • Pour in the vinegar, vanilla, oil and hot coffee and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
    • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

    Frosting

    • In a small bowl mix together the espresso powder and 2 teaspoons water.
    • Scoop the canned frosting into a mixing bowl, pour the espresso mixture into the frosting and mix with beaters until the espresso is well combined.
      Frost the cooled cake, cut and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!
    « Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe
    Tropical Smoothie Recipe – a Taste of Vacation at Home »

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

    Free Email Course

    5 FAST & EASY 15-MINUTE RECIPES
    Spending too much time in the kitchen?
    These recipes are fast, easy, and perfect for every occasion.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tia Garriss says

      November 03, 2020 at 2:56 am

      5 stars
      This looks so amazing. We’re pre-baking our cakes for our final for pastry school tonight, and I wanted a layer of my 3 tier cake to be this flavor – will this hold in the fridge until we start decorating next week?

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        November 03, 2020 at 6:40 am

        Hi Tia. I think that’s too long. As mentioned in the post we recommend storing in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

        Reply
    2. Sanet Day says

      August 29, 2020 at 5:16 am

      The cake was delicious and moist. I used buttermilk instead of water and it turned out great. Amazing recipe! Thank you.

      Reply
    3. Lyanna Soria says

      April 22, 2020 at 6:39 pm

      Never had nor heard of this crazy cake before but that looks quite delicious! I love that it’s easy to make as well, definitely would love to make this sometime.

      Reply
    4. Claudia Krusch says

      April 22, 2020 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      Sounds amazing! I’ve never heard of coffee frosting! Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    5. Catalina says

      April 22, 2020 at 5:59 am

      5 stars
      I am drooling over this cake! It’s the best!

      Reply
    6. Sara Welch says

      April 21, 2020 at 4:08 pm

      5 stars
      This was such an awesome dessert! Perfectly light and fluffy and the frosting was easy to make too!

      Reply
    7. Suzy says

      April 21, 2020 at 9:57 am

      5 stars
      Such an easy cake to make and taste SO GOOD!

      Reply
    8. wilhelmina says

      April 21, 2020 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      This frosting! OMG delicious!!! This cake turned out really moist and delicious but I am totally obsessed with the frosting!

      Reply
    9. Lindsay Cotter says

      April 21, 2020 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      For a coffee lover like me, this dessert was a huge success! I will be making this often!

      Reply
    10. Allyson Zea says

      April 21, 2020 at 7:37 am

      5 stars
      Wow this cake is so delicious and easy to make!

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Toni Dash

    Toni Dash BoulderLocavore.com Head Shot

    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

    AS FEATURED ON….

    BoulderLocavore.com Featured By Press

    Easy Dinners

    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food
    • Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs with lime wedges on a pewter platter Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket title image Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket: an Easy One Pot Meal
    • Shrimp Salad title image Shrimp Salad Recipe
    • Green Chile Stew title image Hearty New Mexican Green Chile Pork Stew

    TRENDING RIGHT NOW

    • Apple Cookies in basket with title Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cookies recipe
    • homemade ketchup title image The Best Homemade Ketchup – Made with Fresh Tomatoes!
    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • LIMEADE IN A GLASS WITH ICE Fresh Homemade Limeade recipe
    • CHICKEN ENCHILADAS IN BAKING DISH Easy Chicken Enchiladas recipe – Ready in under 1 hour!
    Picture of Toni

    Welcome! I’m Toni. I'm a Certified Nutrition Coach and NASM certified Weight Loss Specialist. I'm excited to share Classic Recipes made more calorie friendly using real food!

    More about me →

    Featured on....

    BoulderLocavore.com Featured By Press

    Trending Now

    • Apple Cookies in basket with title Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cookies recipe
    • homemade ketchup title image The Best Homemade Ketchup – Made with Fresh Tomatoes!
    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • LIMEADE IN A GLASS WITH ICE Fresh Homemade Limeade recipe
    • CHICKEN ENCHILADAS IN BAKING DISH Easy Chicken Enchiladas recipe – Ready in under 1 hour!

    Air Fryer

    • Chicken Tortilla Soup title
      Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe – Easy Restaurant Soup at Home!
    Salad recipes cheat sheet image RS

    Trending Recipes

    Footer

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Contact | About | Privacy Policy | Disclosure Policy | Accessibility Statement | Cookie Policy


    SIGN ME UP to get FREE recipes directly to my inbox!

    Don't miss our TRAVEL SECTION!


    Copyright © 2010-2023 All Rights Reserved

    Boulder Locavore is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.