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Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free

Chocolate Orange Depression Cake is Tasty and Easy to Make!

Chocolate Orange Depression Cake is a simple to make, vegan and gluten-free version of the old-fashioned recipe that uses commonly found pantry items. 

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What is Depression Cake (and Water Cake)?!

During the Depression, when times were hard and certain foods were scarce, inventive cooks improvised and created with what they did have. That’s always good advice, in my opinion. Use what you have. Because that’s all you’ve ever got anyway. Amirite? 

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Anyway … Back in the Depression, eggs, milk, shortening, and/or butter could be expensive or not available at all. Back then, just as today, home bakers discovered we don’t need those items to have delicious, tasty dishes, and that even delectable desserts can be made without them. The cakes made without were called “Depression Cakes,” or, “Water Cakes.” On the plus side, they were accidentally vegan or nearly vegan.

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This Chocolate Orange Depression Cake is also Gluten-Free!

This recipe goes just a step further and, like all Planted365 recipes, is vegan and also gluten-free. If you don’t have these flours on hand, just use your favorite GF blend. My favorite ready-made GF flour blend is THIS ONE. If you don’t need to be GF, simply replace the GF flours with the same amount of regular, all-purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.  

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I love orange and chocolate together. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations. So I’ve added so orange extract here as well as some yummy ginger. It’s a great blend of tastes. However, like with the original Depression Cake (or Water Cake), just omit these if you don’t have them on hand or don’t like them as much as I do. It doesn’t change anything in the recipe overall except for the taste. 

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This recipe makes enough for one 8″ round or square cake pan.

Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe Easy Planted365 #veganrecipe #vegandepressioncake #depressioncake #watercake #veganwatercake

I didn’t make frosting for it and instead dusted the top of the finished cake with powdered sugar and added a few orange slices. It’s so pretty I want to paint it! And so good!

Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe Easy Planted365 #veganrecipe #vegandepressioncake #depressioncake #watercake #veganwatercake

Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe Easy Planted365 #veganrecipe #vegandepressioncake #depressioncake #watercake #veganwatercake
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Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe

Chocolate Orange Depression Cake is a simple to make, vegan and gluten-free version of the old-fashioned recipe that uses commonly found pantry items. 

Course Dessert
Cuisine Vegan
Keyword chocolate depression cake, depression cake, vegan depression cake, water cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 pieces
Calories 170 kcal

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil, any
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 tsp orange extract optional
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 3/4 cup water

Garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

  2. Grease one 8" round or square cake pan. Optionally, a layer of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan will make the cake even easier to get out once baked.

  3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients and stir together until well mixed.

  4. Add in the wet ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or wooden spoon for a few minutes until all ingredients are well incorporated.

  5. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake at 375 degrees F for about 35 minutes, until the center is done. It will feel springy and will not dent easily.

  6. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan until the cake can be turned out of the pan and placed on a cooling rack.

  7. Cool completely and then dust with powdered sugar and add a few orange slices and/or grated orange zest.

Recipe Notes

If using a packaged gluten-free flour, simply replace the three flours listed with 1 1/2 cups of your favorite gluten-free flour. You must still add the flaxseed but can omit the xanthan gum if your flour already contains it.

If using regular flour, simply replace the GF flours and xanthan gum with 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 170
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Chocolate Orange Depression Cake Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe Easy Planted365 #veganrecipe #vegandepressioncake #depressioncake #watercake #veganwatercake PIN IT

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Vegan Cookie Fries Gluten-Free Easy Recipe from Planted365 Simple quick dessert plant-based #vegancookiefries #vegandessert #veganbaking #glutenfreebaking

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Chocolate Lavender Chocolate Candy Vegan Plant Based Recipe #veganchocolate #chocolate #dairyfree #dairyfreechocolate

Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie

Here’s a chocolate sweet potato pie that’s vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and oil-free, too. It’s a pie that’s good for you! Does that sound deliciously impossible?

 

Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie Vegan Plant-Based Planted365.com

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