Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

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Southerners love their Coca Cola Chocolate Cake! Marshmallows and soda pop may seem like odd ingredients to use in a cake, but in the South, they are the real thing. This moist and rich chocolate sheet cake is a regular staple for social gatherings and celebrations. The addition of the cola adds an additional sweetness and the carbonation adds an airiness to the texture of the cake. Since I love all things chocolate, I was ready to dive in head first to try this cake.

The traditional recipes for Coca Cola cakes that I found, use marshmallows and an icing that is supposed to be spread on the hot cake straight out of the oven. The icing partially melts into the hot cake to help create the sticky texture. I found this cake easy to make and after enjoying my first piece, I can definitely see why Southerners love this chocolate, gooey goodness!

Basic Rules For Baking and Secrets Of A Successful Cake. Also check out more great Cake Recipes.

History of Coca-Cola Cake:

In the deep South, drinking Coca-Cola soda pop is a religion. It is such a staple in the Southern culture that most Southerners refer to Coca-Cola and all soda pop for that matter as just “co*ke.” Because of this Coca-Cola love, it seems natural that the Coca-Cola cake also finds its origins in the south. It is very common to go to a church social or family reunion and find a Coca-Cola sheet cake on the dessert section of the buffet table.

“Of all the recipes, the most widespread, according to the Coca Cola Company, is one for a gooey chocolate cake with miniature marshmallows, pecans and probably more calories per square inch than anyone can count.”

It is unclear to researchers if Coca-Cola cake was a created in a home kitchen or a clever way for The Coca-Cola Company to market their soda. Historians have found newspaper articles to confirm that using cola in cake recipes originated in the Southern United States. The earliest reference to a Coca-Cola Cake recipe appears in 1950’s Cookbooks and was brought to the forefront again in the 1990’s.

1952 – First reference found to a published recipe: Chocolate Cola Cake recipe published in the Charleston Gazette, August 8, 1952 (p.20), “Unusual’ dishes awarded second, third place in contest“ Mrs. E.D. Greer or Lillybrook, W.VA. supplied the recipe

1997 – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, founded in the south, was looking for ways to further incorporate Coca-Cola into their menu. They came across the classic Coca-Cola cake recipe, increased the cocoa ratio and reintroduced it as Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake. They decided to offer this dessert for limited periods on their menu. The cake became so popular with customers that Cracker Barrel would continue to receive requests, letters and phone calls asking for the cake to be on the regular menu all year. Finally in 2009, Cracker Barrel made the Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola cake a permanent menu item and it has become their signature dessert. When you mention Cracker Barrel, people strongly associate the Coca-Cola Cake.

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Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Recipe:

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:Southern

Keyword:Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Recipe

Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Author: What's Cooking America

Ingredients

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake:

  • 1cupCoca Cola soda
  • 1/2cupbuttermilk*
  • 2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
  • 2cups all-purposeflour
  • 1/4cup unsweetenedcocoapowder
  • 1teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1cupsalted butter,softened
  • 1 3/4cups granulatedsugar
  • 2eggs
  • 1 1/2cupsminiature marshmallows

Coca Cola Chocolate Icing:

  • 1/2cupbutter,room temperature or softened
  • 1/3cupCoca Cola soda
  • 3tablespoons unsweetenedcocoapowder
  • 4cupspowdered sugar(confectioners' sugar)
  • 2teaspoonspure vanilla extract

Instructions

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and dust with flour a 13- x 9-inch baking pan.

  2. In a small bowl, combine coca-cola soda, buttermilk and vanilla extract; set aside.

  3. In medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

  4. In large bowl, on low speed, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended. Starting with the flour mixture, beat in a little at a time alternating with the Coca-Cola mixture until you have ended with the flour mixture. Continue to beat for 2 additional minutes until the batter is light and fluffy. Stir in the marshmallows. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. It is normal for the marshmallows to float to the top of the cake batter when cooking.

  5. Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Recipe, Whats Cooking America (3)

  6. Bake approximately 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking (once you reach 30 minutes, check cake every few minutes until done). Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean or when theinternal temperatureregisters approximately 205 to 209 degrees F. on yourcooking thermometer.

  7. While the cake is baking, prepare the Coca Cola Chocolate Icing. Do not make the frosting in advance, as you you need to pour it over the cake shortly after baking.

  8. Remove cake from the oven to a cooling rack. While the cake is still hot, pour the prepared Chocolate Icing over cake and spread evenly to cover the cake. Let cake cool completely before serving. Serve alone or accompanied by vanilla ice cream.

  9. Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Recipe, Whats Cooking America (6)

  10. Topping Suggestion: Coarsely-chopped Pecans sprinkled on top of chocolate icing (optional).

  11. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Coca Cola Chocolate Icing Instructions:

  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the butter, Coca-Cola soda, and cocoa powder until butter has melted. Whisk in the powder sugar, one cup at a time, and then add the vanilla extract. Stir until icing is smooth.

Recipe Notes

*For buttermilk substitute: In liquid measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, pour in milk to the 1 cup line. Let stand for 5 minutes then use the amount you need for your recipe.

I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer.Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.

You can learn more or buy yours at:Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.

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History References:
FAQs: Cakes- Cola Cakes, by the Food Timeline, Colacake – Yes it’s true, Cooking with co*ke, by Dena Kleinman, New York Times, June 6, 1190 (p.C6)

History of Cracker Barrel’s Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake, by Nora Zelevansky, May 30, 2013

Recipe Source:
I slightly adapted this Coca-Cola cake recipe featured on the Coca-Cola Company website. Recipe contributed by Lee Avery Catts to Atlanta Cooknotes, published by The Junior League of Atlanta.

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Categories:

Baking Cakes History Chocolate Cakes Chocolate Recipes Deep South Dessert Recipes

Comments and Reviews

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

FAQs

Where did Coca Cola cake originate? ›

Coca Cola cake originated in the South in the 1950s and quickly became the go to dessert for every celebration. It is unclear as to who created the recipe but that has not stopped it from becoming a Southern tradition. Coca Cola cake is a slight adaptation of the Texas Sheet Cake, another Southern classic.

Why does soda cake work? ›

The carbon dioxide bubbles in soda pop act as a leavening agent — the element that makes baked goods rise and makes them light and fluffy. Kitchen staple leaveners — like baking soda and baking powder — use a chemical reaction to create carbon dioxide bubbles.

What ingredient in cola would help with dishes what else is it used for? ›

The phosphoric acid it contains can be used to help break down the tissues of many uncooked meats, in the same way that lemon juice is used. The sugar it contains will add a sweetness to the final dish.

Why do you need baking soda for chocolate cake? ›

Baking soda is a leavening agent, which means that it helps baked goods rise. It works by reacting with an acidic ingredient, such as buttermilk, yogurt, or lemon juice, to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas creates bubbles in the batter, which expand during baking and cause the cake to rise.

Why do people put Coca-Cola in cake? ›

Coca-Cola Cake Tips

In addition to being a time-saver, the carbonation in soda gives a boxed cake mix extra lift and lightness when baked. Adding soda also results in a cake that's lower in fat without the addition of eggs and oil that most cake mixes call for.

What is Coca-Cola cake made of? ›

Ingredients for Coca-Cola Cake

For the frosting, you'll need: Coca-Cola, butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt. For the cake: all-purpose flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, Coca-Cola, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.

Why do people put 7UP in cake? ›

By adding 7UP to the batter, this cake takes on an extra-light texture with just the slightest hint of citrus.

Why is it called 7UP cake? ›

For cooking and ingredient purposes, the 7-Up used in the recipe for 7-Up Cake serves as the substitute for baking soda in the batter of this moist pound cake and additional 7-Up is used for the liquid and flavor agent in the glaze ingredients.

Is soda cake actually good? ›

Call it a hack, a shortcut, or a super simple "recipe," but combining a 12-ounce can of soda and a standard box of cake mix is like a magic trick. The end result is an extra moist and soft cake, with more flavor than usual thanks to your soda of choice. And yes, it's every bit as bouncy and fluffy as any other cake.

Does soaking steak in co*ke tenderize it? ›

But the king of sodas has been used in southern cooking for years — particularly in marinades and sauces for beef and pork. Its sweet acidity can help to tenderize meat, making it an ideal addition for a long slow brine. But co*ke isn't limited to southern cooking!

Why do people pour co*ke on their ham? ›

Cooking a ham in cola will impart a slight sweetness to the ham, which is foiled by the saltiness of the meat itself. However it is only the outside of the ham that will really pick up the sweetness, it does not penetrate all the way through the ham.

Why do people put lemon in cola? ›

Along with imparting another layer of complexity, a splash of citrus also enhances the other flavors present in the soda. Plus, the crisp acidity can even cut through the cloying sweetness of the soda for a more balanced sip.

Why do you put vinegar in a chocolate cake? ›

Vinegar helps with the rise of our baked goods

When vinegar reacts with baking soda, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles, which act as leavening agents. So as the batter bakes, these tiny bubbles expand, causing the cake to rise and giving it that light, airy texture we all love.

What happens if you don't add baking soda to cake? ›

If you bake a cake without baking soda or any other leavening agent, the cake will not rise much, if at all. The absence of baking soda can result in a dense and flat cake with a heavy texture. It may lack the light and airy consistency that is typically associated with cakes.

What can I use instead of baking soda in a chocolate cake? ›

Baking powder is, without a doubt, the best baking soda substitute you can find. They're not the same thing (baking soda is about three times stronger), but they are both leavening agents that work in similar ways.

Where did Dominican cake come from? ›

According to other versions, however, the origin of the cake would be the fusion of French and Spanish bakeries, as evidenced by the accounts of colonial Montevideo by Isidoro de María and the genealogical studies of Juan Alejandro Apolant and Ricardo Goldaracena.

Where did dump cake originate? ›

The origins of the dump cake are somewhat unclear. It has been suggested that the name originated with a recipe published by Duncan Hines in 1980, though the name is attested in a number of American community cookbooks and periodicals from the 1970s and 60s.

Where did cake pops originate? ›

First launched in 2008 by the blogger from Bakerella, Angie Dudley was the first baker to transform truffle-like balls into chocolate-covered cake popsicles. The delectable dessert soon became a national obsession on February 1st, 2008, when the date was officially named National Cake Pop Day.

What country did cake pops originate? ›

United States

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