How The Old-School 'Sad Cake' Earned Its Unfortunate Name

From dirt cake to shoofly pie, some desserts have titles that don't really give any insight as to what is actually in them. The absurdity of their names also makes one wonder how they earn those distinctions in the first place, like "sad cake." Is the cake emotional? Is there a frosted representation of a frowning clown grasping a wilted flower? Is it just blue?

The reason this dreary old-school dessert acquired such a glum alias is that, while it tastes amazing according to many folks, it's kind of depressing to look at. Whereas most cakes rise and hold their shape after baking, this one sinks. British bakers used to deem a deflated cake "sad," and with this particular confection, the name stuck. It's one of those desserts that don't look good but taste great.

The cake gained popularity during the Great Depression because the traditional recipe doesn't call for butter or milk — two ingredients that were harder to come by in those gloomy days. The three main ingredients are Bisquick (yep, the same stuff you can use to whip up biscuits and gravy), eggs, and brown sugar. A generous amount of that brown sugar (a whole pound in some recipes) is responsible for the deliciously sweet flavor.

Calling it a cake is actually giving it more credit than it deserves: It's much more akin to a bar. Many people include vanilla to boost the flavor, and adding chopped pecans gives the dessert some crunchy textural contrast. But sad cake is one of those confections that lends well to experimentation, and loads of various add-ins can take this old-school treat to the next level.

While just three ingredients will make a sad cake that's sure to make people smile, this Depression-era confection only gets better with flavorful mix-ins inspired by your creativity. Don't be concerned when it comes out of the oven looking like a morose mistake — it wouldn't be sad cake if it didn't.

Since you can't go wrong adding chocolate to almost any dessert, sad cake is no exception. Simply including chocolate chips in the mix contributes to a whole new dimension of flavor. Swapping those out for M&Ms grants the same chocolate experience while also adding a welcome pop of color that makes the cake look a bit more cheerful. Feeling tropical? Toss in some desiccated or shredded coconut, and you've got a sad cake that's oozing with extra sweetness.

Folks could have their sad cake lean into fall flavors by including spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Incorporating some butterscotch chips would accent the autumn vibe and introduce a gooey element to the dessert. If your goal is to upgrade the texture, substitute flour for powdered sugar when dusting the baking pan, and the edges will get extra crispy. Don't be afraid to make a sad cake your own — it won't look great, but if you give it a little TLC, it will have everyone who tries it grinning from ear to ear.