Emergency Chocolate Cake

This ultra-easy chocolate cake, made without eggs, milk and butter, is also known as crazy cake because it doesn’t require ingredients standard to most cakes. It’s said to originate during the Great Depression when ingredients were scarce—hence another of its monikers, chocolate Depression cake. Cocoa powder rather than bar chocolate supplies the chocolate flavor and rich color. Either Dutch-processed (i.e., alkalized) cocoa or natural cocoa works, just be sure it is unsweetened. Water is the traditional liquid for these cakes, but we prefer coffee, as it bolsters the chocolate notes. If you prefer, decaf or simply water can be used in both the batter and the icing. The flavor will be a little milder but still good.