This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
This Coca-Cola Cake is a moist, chocolatey dessert flavored with the popular, fizzy, soft drink. Topped with frosting and maraschino cherries.
Featured with this recipe
This Coca-Cola Cake recipe comes straight from a handwritten recipe card in my Grandma Blick’s collection. When I saw she had written “Good!” and underlined it on the top corner of the card, I knew I had to try it. No boxed cake mix here, this cake is made from scratch! Since ovens and ingredients have changed slightly since my grandma’s time, I had to make a few adjustments, but the final result is a rich and decadent chocolate cake with hints of everyone’s favorite fizzy drink!
Ingredients in Coca-Cola Cake
- Salted Butter – If you don’t have salted butter, then add a pinch of salt to the cake batter. Let the butter sit out on the counter for half an hour to soften.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, then you can a tablespoon of lemon juice to a ½ cup. Fill the rest with whole milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Use this mixture instead of the buttermilk.
- Coca-Cola – Do NOT use diet cola. It will not yield the same results.
For the Frosting
- Softened Butter
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Coca-Cola – again, NOT diet soda.
- Powdered Sugar or Confectioners’ Sugar
Variations
We love to serve this simple Coca Cola Cake topped with a maraschino cherry. However, you can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also use Cherry Coke or Root Beer instead of Coca-Cola. The original recipe had mini marshmallows incorporated in the cake batter, but we did not have success with this addition, so we omitted them. The original recipe also had 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans added to the frosting, so feel free to try that when you make it!
Frequently Asked Questions about Coca-Cola Cake
You can find recipes for this cake pop up in the beginning of the 20th century. However, its popularity exploded when Cracker Barrel added it to their menu in the 1990s.
The carbon dioxide in Coke act as a leavening agent making the cake extra light and fluffy.
It tastes like Texas Sheet Cake but with Coke mixed in! It has a rich chocolate flavor.
Read Next: 33+ Easy Dessert Ideas (with Pictures + Simple Recipes)
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
How to Make Coca-Cola Cake
Coca-Cola Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2 1/4 cup flour
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup Coca-Cola NOT Diet Coke or Coke Zero
Coca-Cola Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup Coca-Cola NOT Diet Coke
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- maraschino cherries for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Combine all cake ingredients except Coca-Cola into the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl. Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, blend at low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Then beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Mixture should be light and fluffy.
- Add coca cola and fold in with a spatula.
- Grease a 9×13 pan with butter or cooking spray. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- When the cake is completely cooled, make the frosting. Combine all frosting ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl. Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, blend at low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Then beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Frost the cake. When you are read to serve, slice it and top each slice with a maraschino cherry.
Notes
- For a Cherry Coke Cake, use Cherry Coca Cola.
- Make sure you use full sugar Coca-Cola. Diet soda will not work.
- If desired, mix 1 cup of chopped, toasted pecans into the frosting.
- Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Cake can be stored in the fridge or at room temperature.
This is such an amazing idea for coca-cola lovers! Thank you so much for sharing! Absolutely fantastic!
My Sister super loves Coca-Cola and I’m glad I found this Coca-Cola cake! It is super delicious! Moist, flavorful and addicting. She loves it!
Seriously the best texture! Who knew coke could be such a great addition? Love!