Depression-Era Substitutes for Butter, Milk, and Eggs

During the Great Depression, people still baked. They still cooked meals for their families. But they had to do it without some of the basics—like butter, milk, or eggs.

What did they use instead? Whatever they had. And somehow, it worked.

Butter Was a Luxury

Butter was expensive, if you could even find it. So people reached for:

• Vegetable oil – cheap, shelf-stable, and gave cakes a moist texture.
• Shortening or lard – used in pie crusts, biscuits, and cookies.
• Margarine – a new butter substitute that grew popular during this time.

Bakers didn’t panic—they just swapped and stirred.

Milk Had Stand-Ins Too

If fresh milk wasn’t available, cooks turned to:

• Water with vinegar or lemon juice – gave the tang and acid of buttermilk, especially useful in recipes with baking soda.
• Powdered milk – if you had it, it worked great.
• Just plain water – when nothing else was around, water carried the weight.

It wasn’t rich, but it kept the batter moving.

Eggs Were Replaced with Chemistry and Fruit

Eggs helped baked goods rise and stay together. When eggs were scarce, people got creative:

• Vinegar + baking soda – the acid and base reacted to create air bubbles, making cakes rise.
• Mashed banana – added moisture and helped hold things together.
• Applesauce – another cheap binder and sweetener in one.

You didn’t need chickens—you just needed a plan.

The Famous Wacky Cake

One of the most iconic Depression-era desserts, this cake used:

• No butter
• No milk
• No eggs

Just flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, vinegar, vegetable oil, and water. It sounds strange, but the reaction between vinegar and baking soda made it light and fluffy.

And it tasted good—rich, chocolatey, and cheap.

Depression-Era Crazy Cake: The Chocolate Cake That Needs No Eggs, Butter, or Milk

Peanut Butter Bread

This bread used no butter or eggs. Peanut butter acted as both fat and protein. It was mixed with flour, sugar, and baking powder. Some added a splash of water or milk if they had it.

It was dense but filling—and easy to make with pantry staples.

Every Ingredient Had a Backup

Depression-era cooking was all about stretching what little you had.

• No milk? Use water.
• No eggs? Add baking soda and vinegar.
• No butter? Try oil or lard.
• Out of everything? Try fruit.

Recipes were simple, not fancy. But they were comforting and resourceful.

Final Slice

The Great Depression didn’t stop people from baking. It made them better at it—more adaptable, more inventive, and more practical.

They didn’t wait for perfect ingredients. They used what was in the cupboard and made it work. And honestly? That spirit still holds up in the kitchen today.