This classic Coca Cola Cake is a rich, fudgy, thick chocolate cake with deep flavor and a delicious frosting that sets up on top. It’s the perfect cake to share with friends and family and serves a crowd!
Love adding soda to recipes? Our 7-Up pound cake is truly one of a kind. Readers also love this delicious apple dumpling recipe, with it’s mountain dew (or Sprite) glaze!
Why Coca Cola Cake is Best
Some of our best cakes came from our grandparents generation. Our chocolate wacky cake is a perfect example!
Coca Cola Cake is a traditional recipe that dates back to the 1950s. It uses soda in the cake batter AND in the frosting.
The cake is baked in a 9×13 baking dish and can serve up to 20 people, making it perfect for parties and gatherings!
- The combination of the buttermilk and the chocolate lends a rich, tangy flavor to this cake.
- Reducing the soda before adding it to the batter and the frosting really concentrates the flavor and ups the WOW factor of the taste of this cake.
- The frosting sets up nice and thick on top of the cake and makes this dessert extra special.
This cake reminds me our delicious buttermilk texas sheet cake. Rich and moist. You may have even seen today’s recipe featured on the menu at Cracker Barrel!
Ingredient Notes
- Flour – All-purpose flour works great for this cake. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly!
- Cocoa Powder – Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for best results.
- Buttermilk – The buttermilk in the batter yields a much . You can also use this buttermilk substitute.
- Coca Cola – You need 2 cans for this recipe. You can also substitute diet cola, sugar free cola or even root beer if you prefer.
- Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter helps control the sodium of your cake. If you use salted butter, omit 1/4 teaspoon of the salt from the cake recipe.
Try our chocolate mayonnaise cake recipe next for an ultra moist cake!
Easy Instructions
STEP 1. Combine dry ingredients. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
STEP 2. Reduce cola and combine wet ingredients. Reduce the coca cola in a small saucepan then combine it with the butter and cocoa powder.
STEP 3. Finish the cake batter. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and beat with a mixer until well blended.
STEP 4. Bake the cake. Transfer the batter to a greased 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
STEP 5. Make the frosting. Reduce the second can of Coca cola in a small saucepan. Add the butter, vanilla and cocoa and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the powdered sugar.
STEP 6. Frost the cake. Pour the frosting over the cake (even if it’s still warm) to allow it to set up. Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Some traditional Coca Cola cakes use cinnamon, but we prefer the tang of the buttermilk with the chocolate to create a rich fudgy flavor.
- Be sure to reduce the Coke! You need to reduce the can of soda to 1/2 cup for both the cake batter and the frosting. Reducing it both enhances the flavor and decreases the water content. This is a must!
- You need to pour the frosting over the cake immediately after making, as it sets pretty quickly and can be difficult to spread. If you’re worried about this, you can wait to make the frosting when the cake comes out of the oven.
- Serving suggestions: Serve Coca Cola Cake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and cherries for a fun presentation!
- Leftover cake. Obviously freezing and eating the cake is an option. BUT, did you know you can make a chocolate cake shake? Toss slices of chocolate cake in a blender with chocolate ice cream for a unique treat.
Recipe FAQs
Coca Cola Cake dates back to the 1950s and was a popular cake recipe. It was first published in the Charlestown Gazette.
The carbonation from the soda gives the cake an extra light texture and a bit of a lift. It adds a deep flavor that you will recognize, but can’t quite tell what it is!
Store the cake in the original baking dish and cover with plastic wrap once completely cooled. It can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can freeze slices of this cake, either frosted or unfrosted, for up to 3 months. Wrap in parchment paper then place in a freezer bag to preserve freshness. When a craving hits, thaw the cake at room temperature and enjoy.
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Coca Cola Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 can Coca Cola 12 ounce
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1 can Coca Cola 12 ounce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with baking spray (or use our homemade cake release). Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat Coca-Cola on low until it reduces to about 1/2 cup. Use a measuring cup to accurately measure (and discard the extra).
- Add the butter and cocoa to the saucepan with the Coke and whisk until the butter is melted and the cocoa is dissolved completely. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Once cooled, combine the Coke mixture to the flour mixture. Add in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Use a mixer and beat until well blended.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a small saucepan over medium heat, pour in the second can of Coca cola. Reduce to 1/2 cup (discard excess).
- Add butter, vanilla, and cocoa to the coca cola and whisk until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Add in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until dissolved. Repeat until all the sugar has been added.
- Pour the frosting over the baked cake (cake can be slightly warm still).
- Cool completely before serving.
Notes
- The carbonation from the soda gives the coke and extra light texture and a bit of a lift. It adds a deep flavor that you will recognize, but can’t quite tell what it is! You can substitute diet, sugar free cola or even root beer if you prefer.
- Store cake at room temperature in baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Can also be stored in the refrigerator. Will keep fresh for about 4-5 days.
- Serving suggestions: Serve Coca Cola Cake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and cherries for a fun presentation!
- Leftover cake. Obviously freezing and eating the cake is an option. BUT, did you know you can make a chocolate cake shake? Toss slices of chocolate cake in a blender with chocolate ice cream for a unique treat.
