This Sugar Free, Low Carb, Chocolate Crazy Cake needs NO eggs, NO butter and No milk!
Crazy Cake
Have you ever heard of the Crazy cake, Wacky cake or Depression Cake before? It was a cake made during the Great Depression of the 1930's when there was a lack of eggs, butter and milk. They had to get pretty creative and surprisingly the Crazy Cake is one of the best cakes even without those ingredients! It's actually the most perfect allergy friendly cake I've ever seen!
I first saw the Chocolate Crazy Cake recipe circulating on Facebook from the Sweet Little Blue Bird website but made with white flour and white sugar so I knew I would want to remake it for myself and all of you!
I've been asked so many times to make this sugar free and gluten free and now I've finally done it and made it low carb and nut free too!
Nut Free Keto Chocolate Cake
I was even surprised by how utterly decadent, moist and fudgey this cake was! The white vinegar and baking soda allow it to rise perfectly.
Many of you know my youngest has a tree nut allergy so I opted to make this cake with sesame flour since I can't use almond flour. I've often used sunflower seed flour to bake with, but the chemical reaction of sunflowers and baking soda make for things turning green, so not the best choice here.
Low Carb Depression Cake
I finally made this cake one day when a friend of mine was watching my kids for me at her house so I could do some packing. Her daughter was recently diagnosed with a dairy intolerance. I knew I had to make this cake and since my son would be there, nut free was the plan as well.
There were 8 children over her house that day for a get together. About 6 of them do not eat gluten free or sugar free so I was excited to see their reaction when they ate a piece of my cake.
Of course I had all ready tested it out and eaten a piece and knew it was amazing so I wasn't worried but you just never know with kids....... they are always bluntly honest.
The reaction? Before I even had spent a moment thanking my friend for watching my kids for the afternoon, I turned to look and all the kids were eating a piece in the kitchen! Smiling, nodding of it's yumminess, with mouths smeared with chocolate all over!
It was devoured! Even the moms were shocked it was free of so many allergens and tasted so amazing.
Wacky Cake
I think you'll find this Depression, Crazy, Wacky Cake or whatever you choose to call it will be a huge hit whenever you make it! Next time I will double it to make 24 pieces because 12 was just not enough!
Here's the Live video I did making this cake:
Brenda's Notes:
- Nutritional Information below is NOT including the chocolate frosting.
- I used my 2 Ingredient Chocolate Frosting in these photos. Other frosting options: Sugar Free Buttercream Frosting or just use Sugar Free Whipped Cream.
Sugar Free Low Carb Chocolate Crazy Cake
Sugar Free Low Carb Chocolate Crazy Cake { Egg Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Gluten Free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup sesame flour or 130 grams (read comments below if using almond flour)
- ½ cup ground flaxseed or 60 grams
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder or 25 grams
- 1 cup Swerve confectioners or 130 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons avocado oil or oil of choice
- ½ teaspoon chocolate liquid stevia or ½ cup sweetener of choice
- 1 cup water or if you have heavy cream or unsweetened almond or coconut milk you can use that
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 8 by 8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the first 7 dry ingredients.
- Make 3 depressions or shallow dips in the dry mixture, 2 small and 1 large.
- Pour the vinegar in a small depression, the vanilla extract and chocolate stevia in the other small depression and the oil in the large depression.
- Pour the water over the top and stir until smooth.
- Spread the batter into the baking pan.
- Place in the middle rack of your oven and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove by holding the ends of the parchment paper.
- Place onto a cutting board to frost then slice.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
monika
Where do you buy sesame flour? Is the one you buy defatted or do you make your own by simply grinding raw sesame seeds?
Are the nutritional stats based on store bought sesame flour or home-ground?
Brenda
You can buy it ground online here and my discount code is YAJ035, http://www.iherb.com/Kevala-Organic-Sesame-Flour-16-oz-453-g/59945
Roxanne Amy Lanser
I think something has gone wrong with your recipe? No sesame flour and flax is mentioned...
Brenda
it was a glitch within the recipe plug in, should be fixed now.
Maree
I need your help again please!
I have gone and bought everything for this cake today, unfortunately the only non-liquid sugar substitute I could find in the supermarket where I am is one of the ones that you use half of what you would normally use..
So I would need to use half a cup of sweetener instead of a whole one.
What do you suggest I do to balance out the recipe or will it not really matter?
I was also unable to get ground flaxseed, is it okay to just chuck a bunch of whole flaxseed in the magic bullet and use that? Or should I just use extra sesame flour?
It's a bit difficult trying to get this sort of thing to work here haha
Maree
I have actually just found that my flaxseed has gone walk about, could I use chia seeds instead?
Tej
Hello brenda,
Could jowar flour be used instead of sesame flour?
Amd is there is a substitute for flaxseeds as i am sensitive to them?
Thank you
Please do let me know.
Brenda
I'm sorry I don't know what jowar flour is. I have not made any subs with the flaxseed to recommend anything else.
Lin
Hi Maree,
Was curious what you used instead of liquid chocolate stevia - I am hoping to make this cake this weekend. I am wondering if hershey's chocolate syrup will work...I am not making the cake for health/dietary reasons so using the syrup will be fined for my family. Let me know what you substituted, hope it came out good!
Brenda
Sorry since I really don't know the liquid sweetener you bought I can't honestly tell you how to modify the recipe. I would suggest always use less than you think you need, taste the batter than adjust to your sweetness.
Gretchen Gilliland
So very good! I used almond flour. The liquid seemed to be a lot as the batter was very thin but still turned out great. May try a little less liquid next time. This will be my go to cake!!!
Brenda
Did you use the same exact amount as the sesame I used?
Patti
What is the recipe for the two ingredient chocolate icing shown on the cake
Brenda
It is mentioned directly above the recipes with 2 other options as well.https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/2-ingredient-sugar-free-dairy-free-chocolate-frosting/
Joe
I made it with Almond flour\meal and ground flaxseed (And the rest as instructed.) It didn't appear to rise at all... taste was OK.. but had this grainee texture (My daughter loves chocolate like an addict... she only licked the powder sugar after her 1st bite)
Whats wrong? I want to make a healthier chocolate cake (With fairly low carbs, sugar free, low fat would be nice) and low cal is nice... (my 3 year old daughter and I will share birthday) I want to make her a 3 tier chocolate cake with sugar free, low carb\fat\cal white buttercream frosting o whip cream)
So I can have POST gastric surgery, and raise our daughter on better eating habits...
Cindy Cowles
Could coconut flour be used? My grandson has peanut, egg, gluten and dairy allergies and he hasn't been tested for tree nuts yet, so we're avoiding them. He hasn't been tested for sesame either. It I tried it, any clue how much coconut flour would be required?
Brenda
Unfortunately subbing coconut flour one to one wouldn't work in this recipe as coconut flour is like a sponge and needs at least 12 eggs to a cup of coconut flour.
Audrey
I made it with half almond flour and half coconut flour along with the flaxseed and turned out beautifully and was delicious
Kim
Audrey did you follow the recipe exactly other than subbing half almond and half coconut flour for the sesame?
Terri
What if you used left over coffee instead of water? it would give the chocolate a richer taste.
Brenda
Great idea!
Lainie
Why did I just now read this as I took this cake out of the oven! I would've made coffee just for it! haha
Christina
I had no idea that this recipe would spill over the edges of my pan. I'm going to have to try again later after I clean out my oven. It didn't look too bad, though!
Dorothy
Thank you!
Dorothy
Is this made in the pan or combined in a separate bowl? Can I sub xylitol 1for1 for Swerve? Is chocolate stevia crucial?
Brenda
I used a bowl to mix, it really doesn't matter. Swerve is much less sweeter than xylitol so I would use half. No chocolate stevia is not crucial but adds a nice chocolate flavor.
Dorothy
Crazy cakes I've made in the past have been made right in the pan. It's hard to know with this one. Also I don't have liquid stevia just powdered. Also have xylitol can I sub 1 for 1 with swerve?
Linda Manning
I am going to try some of your recipes. My husband is a diabetic. Will let you know how they turn out
Laura
Hi Brenda
What does the flaxseed flour do? Is it the egg replacer in the recipe or does it just to add as a flour for mass? I ask because I want to leave it out and substitute it with something else due to an allergy to it. I just don't know what.
Thanks
Brenda
It's my sub for replacing flour since I can't use almond flour.
Kathy
Finally had a chance to make it today, with sesame flour. Yummy! Nice to be able to have something chocolatey without the guilt! Didn't want any frosting/icing. Definitely making again. Thank you so much!
Brenda
Glad you liked it!
Penny Wheeler
What are you using for frosting? With the "sugar free" title it left me a bit baffled.
Brenda
the frosting optional are all linked under the comments you just have to click on them to see the frosting recipe
Deborah Pullen
The chocolate cake looks amazing! Can't wait to try it this weekend ....
I wish there was an option to print the recipes WITHOUT the photo .....simply a waste of ink and paper ....
Zach
Try highlighting the recipe, etc., and copying it, then pasting it to Word or another editor. Delete anything that you pasted that you don't want.
Cindy
just take a pic of it with your phone......
Lisa
What does it mean to make depressions? I'm not a big baker so I do not understand the lingo. (:
Brenda
Just make a simple valley in the batter, not a hole but a small dip.
Teresa
My kids can't wait to try this!!!! I don't havd swerve but use powdered xylitol (I just put in blender). Can xylitol be used straight across or would the measurements be different?
Adrienne
You might want to Google this question.
Faye
Bummer. Just tried with almond flour (from Honeyville) and it didn't work. Raised up and then fell to a pancake. Not a cake at all. I will try again with Sesame flour. Maybe it make a difference. Mine was a fairly thin batter as low carb cake batters go. I wonder if the sesame flour acts a little like the flax to soak water?
Brenda
Really? I'm so sorry I can't believe there would be such a difference using almond flour.
Caroline
Brenda,
Thank you for this delicious looking recipe! Just love your adventurous spirit...and having a little one with allergies has got to be tough! Thank you, Brenda, for all your sharing!
John
FYI. You can get the same sesame flour at Walmart.com for 13.69 with free shipping. God bless
Carol
Sorry I dont see the note for using almond flour instead of sesame?
Missy
She said it would be an even swap, same amount of almond flour to replace the sesame flour. But another commenter mentioned using almond flour with poor results. I was goung to use Al.of flour, but haven't tried it yet.
Brenda
Yes I read a few commenters who said they used almond flour with success and didn't change the amount. I can't try it because my youngest has a tree nut allergy.
Becky
Faye, that's too bad. I made it in August of 2016 with the almond flour and it was delicious. It raised up nicely then fell a little bit, but was still great. So sorry it didn't work as it tastes sooooooooo good.
Andrea
Mine fell like a pancake too and I used the sesame and flax. Not sure why?? I followed the instructions exactly. Ugh!
Brenda
I'm finding when my baking powder is in my pantry for more than 2 months it doesn't work as well as when it is completely fresh opened.
Amy
Same thing happened to me with almond flour. And I baked it too long because it remained jiggly like Jello even at 40 min at 350. I won't be trying again.
Linda George
Mine also fell terribly. It tasted good but I was very disappointed as I made it for Mothers Day!
Sammy
Hi Brenda,
Your recipe was a god send for my hubby's and daughter's birthdays. My hubby is on a low carb diet due to type 2 diabetes and I had been looking for a recipe that was egg free as my daughter and I have an egg allergy. Thanks to your recipe this cake was a winner in all respects. We had friends over who loved the cake so much, that I had to box a few slices for them to take home.
My cake rose very well but after cooling, it fell slightly but I frosted it anyway with your two ingredient frosting cream recipe. It tasted chocolatey,moist and fudgy.
Please can you share a recipe for egg free low carb Tiramisu please.
Thank you so much!
Stay safe!! Xx
Kathy
thank you got the recipe! Would almond flour be an equal swap with sesame flour?
Brenda
Yes that will be fine to swap.
Cheryl
I'm allergic to sunflower seeds. What would be a good substitution?
Brenda
You can use any oil of choice really but the milder is better. I would say grapeseed or avocado oil.
Mishele
Do you think mct oil would work?
Denjse
Is that granular or confectioner's Swerve?
Brenda
Either will work but I did use the confectioner's Swerve.
eat good 4 life
This sure looks good. Love anything chocolate and a healthy version of it even more! I never used sesame flour before. I must give that a try.
Brenda
Thanks Miryam!
Darla
I would love to try this today but I don't have Sunflower oil... what would be the best substitute for this? I do have EVOO, grape seed, and coconut on hand... would any of those work?
Darla
Sorry, I do also have avocado and hazelnut oil on hand.
Kim
The recipe calls for avocado oil
Brenda
I think I would say grapeseed instead of olive or coconut.
Brittany
What would be the almond flour amount be if we didnt use sesame flour
Brenda
I haven't tried it myself because my son has a tree nut allergy, but some others commented they used almond, maybe same amount, I'm not sure.
Dawn
This looks amazing! Quick question for a newbie low-carb baker. I don't love using powdered sweeteners, I try to stick to liquid stevia if at all possible. Does this recipe need the powdered sweetener to work?
Brenda
Hi Dawn, Welcome! I can't say it would work without the powdered Swerve since I have not tried it without it. If you try it please let m know how it works for you. Maybe cut the recipe in half to try it with just stevia.
Michelle
Ya know why don't you add carbohydrate info.. None of you do.. Won't make it.
Brenda
Hmmm, not sure why you can't see the nutrition info, it's located right next to the picture above the ingredients. All carbs total, fiber, everything is in fact listed.
Chellie
Its on the there maybe your internet browser is not functioning properly.
Elle
How rude. Free recipe but you complain.
belinda
shut up
Sb
I see it. Maybe you need glasses?
A.W.
Wow Michelle! How ‘bout “thanks for the recipe!” and then move on. Or don’t comment at all! She was kind enough to share this recipe. Don’t make it if you don’t want to, but you don’t have to be rude!
Jerry Guinn
Read the Nutritional Values list ... it's right there.
DONNA L
2 NET CARBS
Javier Blake-Vazquez
Depending on the person or persons health issues, this recipe was made for those who can have certain things. Plus if you want the original recipe then look it up. Be an ignorant low life human being is not cool. Its try to make it mt way and mix it with her way maybe it might come out hella good. But please dismiss yourself.
THANK YOU! NEXT!!!
Melissa
Why do people use baking powder for these type recipes when the first ingredient is corn starch? Read the label.
Bridy
You can buy corn starch free baking powder.
Terri Hancock
I buy cornstarch free baking powder because of an allergy to corn.
Carol
Will almond flour work??? I don't have sesame flour..