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This Coca Cola Cake is a southern classic made with two cans of coca cola! It’s a rich, moist chocolate cake that’s full of flavor and wonderfully tender! If you’ve never tried it before, you really have to! You’ll be making it again and again!
This post is sponsored by Challenge Butter, but all opinions are my own.
Classic Coca Cola Cake
If you’ve never tried this cake before, it really needs to be the next thing you bake. Don’t miss out! It’s so simple to put together that there’s really no excuse for not trying it. You don’t even need a mixer! The only thing you need is a stove, since part of the cake batter and the icing are made on the stove.
In addition to being easy to make, this cake has amazing flavor and a tender texture. It doesn’t really taste like Coca Cola, despite all the soda in there, but the soda does help give it that lovely rise and tender texture. And even though you won’t taste it and say, “Oh, that’s coke!”, it does add flavor that’s really lovely. It’s like a light chocolate cake and it’s so darn addicting. Very similar in texture to a Texas Sheet Cake, but I might argue that it’s even better. Seriously.
There are several versions of this cake floating around out there, including one that uses marshmallows, but I have to say that this one is the best! There’s a special ingredient in here that takes the flavor to an unexpected place, but once you try it, you won’t want it any other way. What is it? Ground cinnamon. It may seem very random, but it truly makes this cake even better. The flavors are just wonderful. I found myself wanting to hoard it all. So, so good.
Ingredients
Like I said, this cake is nice and simple. That even shows in the simple ingredients list. You probably have most, if not all of this, in your pantry already!
- All Purpose Flour
- Sugar: Regular, granulated sugar is all that’s needed.
- Baking Soda: For rise.
- Salt: For flavor. Don’t underestimate your salt.
- Ground Cinnamon: This is optional, but it truly takes this cake to another level. I highly recommend it.
- Coca Cola: This cake uses two full cans of coke. One in the cake and one in the frosting.
- Butter: Used in both in the cake and the frosting, I used my favorite Challenge Butter. Challenge Butter is a high quality, creamy butter that goes from farm to fridge in just two days, ensuring that it’s nice and fresh. It has no added hormones, artificial flavors or fillings, so you can feel good about feeding it to your family. If you haven’t tried it before, you definitely need to. It will definitely elevate your baking and cooking.
- Cocoa Powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Buttermilk: I like to use powdered buttermilk.
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar: In the frosting.
How to make a Chocolate Coca Cola Cake
- Preheat oven: Bring your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Combine dry ingredients: Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Cook on stove: In a small saucepan, combine the cola, butter and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat until it begins to boil, stirring occasionally.
- Combine cola mixture and dry ingredients: Add the cola mixture to the flour mixture and whisk together just until combined.
- Combine and add final ingredients: In a measuring cup, add the buttermilk, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk together, then add to the flour and cola mixture. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Make icing, reduce soda: While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. Add the coca cola to a saucepan and cook until reduced to 1/2 a cup.
- Continue cooking on stove: Stir in the butter and cocoa powder and continue stirring until the butter is melted.
- Add powdered sugar: Remove the mixture from heat and add the powdered sugar. Whisk together until well combined and smooth.
- Frost the cake: Pour icing over the hot cake and spread evenly.
Easy and Delicious Chocolate Cake
This is one seriously easy cake to make and I know you won’t regret it if you try it! It’s a lovely, simple chocolate cake that’s perfect for a birthday, potluck, or random Saturday night when you need something sweet. This is one that’s not all about looks, but what it lacks in looks and flair, it makes up for in flavor and texture. It’s a classic cake that your grandmother may very well have made and it has that feel to it. I can’t wait for you to fall in love with it, just like we did!
Watch How To Make It
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Coca Cola Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Coca Cola Cake is a southern classic made with two cans of coca cola! It’s a rich, moist chocolate cake that’s full of flavor and wonderfully tender! If you’ve never tried it before, you really have to! You’ll be making it again and again!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 12 oz Coca Cola
- 1 cup unsalted Challenge Butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
- 12 oz Coca Cola
- 1/2 cup unsalted Challenge Butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cola, butter and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat until it begins to boil, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cola mixture to the flour mixture and whisk together just until combined.
- In a measuring cup, add the buttermilk, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk together, then add to the flour and cola mixture. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. Add the coca cola to a saucepan and cook until reduced to 1/2 a cup.
- Stir in the butter and cocoa powder and continue stirring until the butter is melted.
- Remove the mixture from heat and add the powdered sugar. Whisk together until well combined and smooth.
- Pour icing over the hot cake and spread evenly. Do this quickly, since the icing sets quickly.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cake well covered or in an air tight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 492
- Sugar: 63 g
- Sodium: 185.2 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 78.2 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 74.5 mg
I haven’t made it as of yet, I was wondering if it’s simple to split the recipe, I want to make it to g8 into an 8×8 cake pan.
I would think that should be fine.
I’m baking the cake now. It’s taking longer than the recommended time BUT my house smells wonderful and I cannot wait!!!
i cut sugar by half and replaced half of butter with more buttermilk. the cake came out fine, light anf fluffy but still way too sweet.
Is it possible to make this as a 6″ three layer cake? Thanks.
I would think that should be fine. The icing just might be a little hard to add.
Could you use Cherry Coke or even Dr Pepper in place of the regular Coke?
I didn’t try it, but I’m sure it’d be fine.
Can I substitute buttermilk with other milk? Difficult to get buttermilk here.
I didn’t test it, but I’m guessing it would be fine. Buttermilk usually just makes it a little more tender and soft.
You could make a buttermilk substitute. I almost never buy buttermilk, so I’ve used 1 cup regular milk & add 1 tbs white vinegar. Let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes & use it as buttermilk.
If I use the powdered buttermilk instead of fresh, how do the measurements compare? Or do I reconstitute first? I am so excited to try this!
❤️🥤🍰