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America's Melting Pot
Mayonnaise Cake hero image coming soon
1930-1945 - American home bakers during the Great Depression and wartime kitchens
A simple and moist chocolate cake using mayonnaise as a substitute for eggs and butter. Popular during the Great Depression when traditional baking ingredients were scarce or expensive.
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Difficulty
Medium
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Total time
45 minutes
Servings
8 servings
Region
Oakland print kitchens and Hellmann's/Best Foods wartime home baking
Era introduced
1930-1945
Introduced by
American home bakers during the Great Depression and wartime kitchens
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Mayonnaise cake became popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s and 1940s, as American cooks sought ways to bake delicious cakes without eggs or butter, which were sometimes in short supply. Mayonnaise, composed mainly of oil and eggs, served as a clever ingredient substitute creating moist, tender cakes. Chocolate mayonnaise cakes emerged as an economical dessert that could satisfy sweet cravings while fitting tight household budgets and rationing conditions on the home front during wartime.
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