7 Real WWII Desserts That Used No Eggs or Butter

When butter was locked away in a ration tin and eggs were a once-a-week treat, British bakers didn’t throw in the towel. They threw in vinegar, applesauce, and leftover drippings instead.

If that sounds awful—hold your judgment. These wartime desserts were surprisingly clever. Some were actually good. Others were at least edible. All of them were a sweet way to survive rationing with a little dignity intact.

1. War Cake

This was the queen of wartime desserts. No butter. No eggs. No milk. Just brown sugar, water, shortening (or even bacon fat), raisins, and spice. You boiled the sugar, water, and raisins together, cooled it, then added flour, baking powder, and a bit of baking soda dissolved in water.

Baked low and slow, it came out moist, dense, and full of flavor. Enough to make you forget you were living through a global conflict.

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2. Depression Cake

Also called “Poor Man’s Cake,” which feels a bit on-the-nose.

This was basically War Cake’s cousin with an attitude. Dried fruit, molasses or brown sugar, lard or shortening, and a splash of coffee instead of water to give it depth. No eggs, no butter, and still got the job done. You could feed a crowd with this and still have leftovers.

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3. Eggless Christmas Pudding

No eggs. Still festive. Still rich.

This one used flour, breadcrumbs, suet or any fat you could melt down, marmalade, sugar, and dried fruits. Stir in a little milk or booze if you had it. Steam it slowly, wrap it up, and serve with whatever sauce you could scrounge.

It wasn’t as fancy as pre-war puddings, but it brought the family together and smelled like hope.

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4. Vinegar Cake

Yes, vinegar. As in, the stuff you clean kettles with.

Turns out vinegar + baking soda makes a cake rise like magic. Combine flour, sugar, dried fruit, spices, and water, then add vinegar and soda last.

It puffed up nicely, stayed moist, and didn’t taste like salad dressing—promise.

Vinegar Cake From World War 2: A Wartime Delight That Stood the Test of Time

5. Mock Apple Pie

No apples? No problem.

You’d crush some crackers, mix with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and somehow it tasted like apple pie. Nobody knows why it worked. It just did.

The crust used lard or shortening, because butter was basically a ghost. But when you pulled this out of the oven, no one asked questions.

Mock Apple Pie From WW2: Great Depression Delight

6. Eggless Bread Pudding

Bread pudding was always a “make-do” dessert, but wartime took it to another level.

You soaked stale bread in water or a splash of milk (if you were lucky), tossed in sugar, raisins, and spices, then baked it with a bit of melted fat.

It wasn’t winning any bake-offs, but it was warm, sweet, and used up scraps. That’s a win.

7. Oatmeal Spice Cookies

Crunchy edges, chewy center—made without eggs, butter, or complaints.

Just oats, flour, sugar, a little fat (margarine, lard, or drippings), and lots of spice. You could bind it with applesauce or mashed banana.

Perfect for kids who missed real cookies—or grown-ups pretending everything was fine.

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What Held It All Together?

• Fat: Anything that melted. Lard, suet, margarine, even bacon grease.
• Sweetness: Brown sugar, molasses, dried fruits, or syrup.
• Binders: Applesauce, bananas, vinegar + baking soda—whatever gave lift or held shape.
• Liquid: Water, milk (rare), or leftover coffee.

These desserts weren’t about indulgence. They were about keeping spirits high when the pantry was bare. No eggs, no butter, no problem. Just creativity, wartime grit, and maybe a bit of treacle.

And honestly? I’d take a slice of vinegar cake over store-bought any day. Just don’t tell my fridge.