Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 16 hours ago
Get the recipe for Emergency Chocolate Cake here: bit.ly/3LAl9Ba
Meet the “crazy” cake that breaks all the rules.
Born out of the Great Depression, then gaining a resurgence in popularity in the midst of World War Two, this ultra-easy, dump-and-stir cake became a mainstay for home cooks across the country due to its ingredients—or lack thereof. Instead of the usual eggs, milk and butter, this cake relies on vinegar and baking soda for leavening, while coffee and cocoa powder deliver deep chocolate notes without flavor-muting dairy.
Chris Kimball puts this wartime recipe to the test, mixing the batter with just a bowl and whisk. With a moist, rich texture and deeply chocolatey flavor, the results prove that sometimes the best discoveries are born out of necessity; this simple cake is not only historically significant, but genuinely delicious.
0:00 What is Emergency Chocolate Cake?
0:53 How to make Emergency Chocolate Cake
1:02 No butter, eggs, dairy or mixer? No problem!
1:22 What makes this cake so chocolatey?
1:36 How to “make a well” in a bowl
2:44 How long does the cake bake?
2:55 How to make the icing for Emergency Chocolate Cake
3:33 What is an offset spatula?
#milkstreet #milkstreetrecipe #milkstreetbakes #emergencycake #chocolatecake #wackycake #eggfreecake #dairyfree #vintagerecipe #easydessert #chocolatedessert #chocolatelovers #cakerecipe #bakingtips #homemade
Get the recipe for Emergency Chocolate Cake here: bit.ly/3LAl9Ba
Meet the “crazy” cake that breaks all the rules.
Born out of the Great Depression, then gaining a resurgence in popularity in the midst of World War Two, this ultra-easy, dump-and-stir cake became a mainstay for home cooks across the country due to its ingredients—or lack thereof. Instead of the usual eggs, milk and butter, this cake relies on vinegar and baking soda for leavening, while coffee and cocoa powder deliver deep chocolate notes without flavor-muting dairy.
Chris Kimball puts this wartime recipe to the test, mixing the batter with just a bowl and whisk. With a moist, rich texture and deeply chocolatey flavor, the results prove that sometimes the best discoveries are born out of necessity; this simple cake is not only historically significant, but genuinely delicious.
0:00 What is Emergency Chocolate Cake?
0:53 How to make Emergency Chocolate Cake
1:02 No butter, eggs, dairy or mixer? No problem!
1:22 What makes this cake so chocolatey?
1:36 How to “make a well” in a bowl
2:44 How long does the cake bake?
2:55 How to make the icing for Emergency Chocolate Cake
3:33 What is an offset spatula?
#milkstreet #milkstreetrecipe #milkstreetbakes #emergencycake #chocolatecake #wackycake #eggfreecake #dairyfree #vintagerecipe #easydessert #chocolatedessert #chocolatelovers #cakerecipe #bakingtips #homemade
