This Sad Cake is an old fashioned cake recipe that uses self-rising flour to make a chewy and rich sunken cake. Easy to make with just 6 ingredients that are already in your kitchen, this cake is a retro foolproof recipe my mother has made too many times to count. I'm finally getting to share all of her secrets that make this cake perfect every time.
There's nothing sad about this vintage cake other than the way it looks. With a toffee, caramel-like flavor and slight crunch, it'll in fact make you happy with just one bite. With only 6 simple ingredients and less than 15 minutes to prepare, it's a go-to recipe when I need a quick dessert to take somewhere or are short on time for entertaining.
While I have several cake recipes that my mom has made on the website that are delicious, this cake along with her Whipping Cream Pound Cake and my Mamaw's Jam cake and Turtle Cake are just a few that bring back the sweetest memories!
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Table of Contents
What is a Sad Cake?
Sad Cake is a vintage cake that is incredibly easy to make. With only 6 ingredients, it's been a go-to dessert for centuries for celebrations, bereavement dinners, homecomings, and work potlucks.
The cake rises as it bakes then sinks as it cools, giving it its "SAD" cake name. It has a crackly top, slightly dense, chewy texture, similar to a blondie or ooey gooey butter cake.
There are versions of this cake with a slight difference in ingredients. Some include Bisquick, vanilla extract, no granulated sugar, and different add-in options.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Simple Pantry Staple Ingredients: You will like already have everything on hand in your pantry and refrigerator to make this cake.
- Dreamy Cake Texture: With a dense, chewy inside texture and a slightly crisp exterior, it's tough to stop at one slice.
- Quick to Prepare: It takes less than 15 minutes to whip up this Sad Cake recipe with just a few tools needed.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: This retro cake recipe will be loved by anyone you serve it too. It's excellent to serve at a family reunion, church homecoming, birthday celebration, work potluck, or holiday get-together.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture to the cake. It also contributes to the chewy texture. The brown sugar gives it a subtle caramel flavor.
- Salted Butter: A fundamental ingredient that provides richness, flavor, and moisture to the cake.
- Self-Rising Flour: Premixed with the leavening agents, it provides structure and stability. It forms the foundation of the batter, giving the cake its shape and preventing it from becoming too dense.
- Eggs: Acts as a binder, helping to hold the cake ingredients together. They also add structure and moisture, contributing to the overall texture.
- Pecans: They contribute a crunch, nuttiness, and burst of yummy goodness!
How to Make Sad Cake
- Using a stand mixer or bowl and whisk, blend together sugars.
- Add melted butter and mix well.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- Lastly, add the flour and pecans. Mix just until incorporated. Don't over mix.
- Pour into a buttered 9”x13” pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Cake Cutting: For precise cake cutting, you might consider lining your pan with parchment paper. This will allow you to lift it from the pan once it cools and to cut in without the pans edges getting in the way. It's pretty cutting it into squares or triangles.
- Bisquick Version: This cake's Bisquick variation is a bit different. Omit the granulated sugar and butter. Beat 4 eggs until frothy then add 2 ¼ cups brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Once combined, add 2 cups Bisquick. Once blended, fold in the pecans. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Krusteaz can also be used in place of Bisquick. (*NOTE: I have not experimented with it to confirm, but reviewers of my cake have reported Gluten-Free Bisquick can work as well.)
- Pecans: You can omit the nuts if desired.
Variations
Sad Cake will already make you happy. However, you can elevate that happiness by incorporating some yummy additions.
- Chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips pair perfectly with the flavors of this cake. I would recommend dark chocolate chips, semisweet, or bittersweet chips as the cake is already pretty sweet on its own. Milk chocolate can work as well. Add 1 cup if desired.
- Coconut: Adding 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut add a delicious dimension of flavor and a great texture!
- Ice Cream: The cake is rather sweet, but some folks like to eat it with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream on top.
- White Chocolate Drizzle: This homemade White Chocolate Syrup is silky smooth and incredible served over a slice of this cake. It’s super easy and quick to make!
Storage and Freezing
Storing and freezing Sad Cake can help preserve its freshness and flavor for an extended period. If you plan to consume it within 4-5 few days, store at room temperature in an airtight container. Place a sheet of parchment paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking together.
Before freezing, ensure that the cake has completely cooled to room temperature. Either store the cake whole or cut into individual portions. This makes it easier to thaw only the amount you need without having to defrost the entire batch. Wrap with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in a freezer-safe container up to 3 months
To thaw, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw slowly overnight. This gradual thawing helps maintain the texture. Alternatively, you can let the cake sit at room temperature for a few hours until thawed. If you like your cake warm, you can microwave a slice for 10-15 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cake rises as it bakes then sinks as it cools, giving it its "SAD" cake name.
The leavening from the flour and eggs give the cakes its initial rise and sturdy outside texture while the sugars and butter gives it its dense texture that falls when cools. This is supposed to happen.
Yes. The Bisquick version of this cake is slightly different. Omit the granulated sugar and butter. Beat 4 eggs until frothy then add 2 ¼ cups brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Once combined, add 2 cups Bisquick. Once blended, fold in the pecans. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
Absolutely! Besides toasted pecans, some popular options are toasted walnuts or almonds, shredded coconut, and/or chocolate chips. No more than a collective 1 ½ cups of these (including the pecans it calls for) should be added to maintain the cakes proper texture.
A depression cake is a type of cake made with simple, inexpensive, minimal ingredients that was commonly made during the Great Depression. Sad cake is one of the many cakes coined with this term.
More Old Fashioned Cake Recipes to Try
Sad Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter melted
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl using a stand mixer or whisk, blend together sugars.
- Add melted butter and mix well.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- Lastly, add the flour and pecans. Mix just until incorporated. Don't over mix.
- Pour into a buttered 9”x13” pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips
- Cake Cutting: For precise cake cutting, you might consider lining your pan with parchment paper. This will allow you to lift it from the pan once it cools and to cut in without the pans edges getting in the way. It's pretty cutting it into squares or triangles.
- Bisquick Version: This cake's Bisquick variation is a bit different. Omit the granulated sugar and butter. Beat 4 eggs until frothy then add 2 ¼ cups brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Once combined, add 2 cups Bisquick. Once blended, fold in the pecans. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Krusteaz can also be used in place of Bisquick. (*NOTE: I have not experimented with it to confirm, but reviewers of my cake have reported Gluten-Free Bisquick can work as well.)
- Pecans: You can omit the nuts if desired.
Variations
Sad Cake will already make you happy. However, you can elevate that happiness by incorporating some yummy additions.- Chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips pair perfectly with the flavors of this cake. I would recommend dark chocolate chips, semisweet, or bittersweet chips as the cake is already pretty sweet on its own. Milk chocolate can work as well. Add 1 cup if desired.
- Coconut: Adding 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut add a delicious dimension of flavor and a great texture!
- Ice Cream: The cake is rather sweet, but some folks like to eat it with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream on top.
Jackie
Please add me to your recipe group
Laura Ashley
I’m happy you’re here! I hope you love my recipes!
Abigail R
I can't tell you how happy I am you shared this! My Grandmother used to make this for me and my siblings as a child and it was my favorite, unfortunately she passed and didn't share the recipe. She informed us that the name came from the few ingredients used during the great depression.. Again I can't tell you how happy I am and Thanks so much!
Laura Ashley
This truly made me smile! I'm so happy you came across it as well! I know your grandmother was a very sweet lady just from your comment! I hope you think of her when you make it and take that first bite!
Kathleen
My Gramma used to bake a cake like this and I lost the recipe, LOVEEEE!! Thanks for bringing back great memories!
Laura Ashley
Aww!! It makes my heart so happy to hear that you came across this and that it made you think of her!!
Lynn
I've accidentally made several "sad" cakes over the years 😂 so glad to be able to make one on purpose! I made this over the weekend as a quick dessert for company and everyone loved it. Thanks!
Laura Ashley
LOL!! That just cracked me up! I've done the same. So happy it was a hit!!
Kelly Duvall
This turned out great. Definitely making again. Family loved it. 🥰
Laura Ashley
YAY!! Thank you SO much!
Marilyn
Delicious
Laura Ashley
Thank you SO SO MUCH!! 🙂
Jules
My family loved the story of why this is a sad cake lol. It's delicious and I liked how easy it was to make!
Laura Ashley
Aww!! I'm so happy they liked it too!! Thank you!!
Jenn Ann
This cake is anything but sad! It's delicious and made me and my tummy so happy!
Laura Ashley
Thank you so much!! So happy it made you happy!
Janelle
This was anything but sad! It was delicious and made us all happy!
Laura Ashley
Aww! Well that makes my heart so happy to hear!!
Amy Nash
Loved this easy cake recipe! I ended up adding the coconut that you mentioned in the variation because I love the combo of coconut and pecans. So, so good!
Laura Ashley
I love that you saw that variation and gave it a try! Thanks for sharing how much you liked it as well!
Sheila Morris
Loved it with coconut and pecans grounded in this cake and a cold glass of Almond Milk. I just don’t need it often because it’s just so delicious.
Laura Ashley
Aww!! That is just wonderful! Thank you SO much!!
Janet
Holy Sad Cake Batman! This cake is amazing and I can’t wait for my freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning to have with this cake. Thanks again Laura for sharing this great cake! It sadly made me happy!!
Laura Ashley
Aww!! That makes my heart SOOOO happy too!! Thank you SO SO much! With a cup of coffee...that is the perfect morning!
Ashton
Wonderful! So easy and so delicious!! I did add vanilla to mine💗💗
Laura Ashley
YAY!! I'm so happy you liked it as well! 🙂
Dian
I made this with Gluten Free Bisquick and followed your recipe for the gluten
free bisquick and it turned out perfect! Great texture and flavor!! Definitely will make this again! Thank you for sharing the GF option!!
Laura Ashley
You're very welcome and thank you so much for sharing that you made it and that it turned out so well! Lots of folks will now feel confident in trying it that way as well. Your sad cake review made me happy! 🙂
Michelle
I just made the sad cake and it was a hit! I opted for mini-chocolate chips as we’re not fond of pecans. My son, who is not a fan of cakes, said he would like this as his next birthday cake. My husband was skeptical because of the name of the cake, but devoured most of it! Thank you for sharing!
Laura Ashley
This is music to my ears! Thank you so much! I love that you made it and that it was such a hit!