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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » Cake

    Coca-Cola Cake

    Published: Jun 30, 2022 · Modified: Mar 8, 2023 by Kate Morgan Jackson · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This recipe for an easy Chocolate Coca Cola Cake is a traditional favorite that combines a soft chocolate cake with a rich fudge frosting for a crowd-pleasing dessert!

    slice of Coca-Cola Cake on Plate

    PIN this recipe for Coca-Cola Cake now… So you can make it later!

    So here’s how this recipe came about. We have a pretty strict rule in our house called “No Ingredient Left Behind.”

    As in, we try super hard not to throw out any ingredients that are left over from a previous recipe. If I have leftover ricotta cheese from making ricotta meatloaf, that leftover ricotta is going in ricotta scrambled eggs the next day. Etcetera and so on.

    And recently I decided to do a slow cooker Cola Pot Roast version of my dad’s famous Coca-Cola ribs, and guess what was left over?

    two cans of Coca-Cola

    Yep, these two lonely cans of Coke. And since none of us in this house are really soda drinkers, they needed a recipe. And guess what recipe calls for exactly two 12 ounce cans of cola?

    This easy Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake!

    It’s going to look like a lot of steps, but I promise they are all easy, and you are going to end up with a traditional Southern sheet cake situation that tastes like the best fudge you’ve ever tasted, but in cake form.

    Ingredients You Need To Make Coca-Cola Cake!

    • Flour
    • Sugar
    • Baking Soda
    • Salt
    • Cinnamon
    • Eggs
    • Buttermilk
    • Vanilla Extract
    • Cola Soda
    • Butter
    • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
    • Confectioner’s Sugar

    Here’s How To Make Coca-Cola Cake!

    STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

    STEP 2: Put 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, a teaspoon of baking soda and a half teaspoon each of salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Use a whisk to stir them up together thoroughly and set them aside.

    STEP 3: Put 2 eggs, a half cup of buttermilk and a teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small bowl AND whisk ’em up until well combined and set that aside too.

    STEP 4: Put 12 ounces (one can) of cola soda in a medium pot.  Add a cup of room temperature butter and a quarter cup of unsweetened baking cocoa in with the soda, stir it all up with a whisk and then bring it to a boil over medium high heat (the butter should all be melted and you should see bubbles around the edges).

    STEP 5: Add the cola mixture to the flour mixture (be careful, it’s hot!) and stir until everything is combined. 

    STEP 6: Add the egg mixture to the flour and cola mixture and use a whisk to get it all combined and as smooth as you can.  Pour this glorious chocolate concoction into the 9 x 13 pan, pop it in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.

    STEP 7: Once the cake is in the oven it’s time to start the frosting!  Put another 12 ounces of cola soda into a medium pot and bring it to a boil.  Let it boil until it is reduced to about a half cup (about 15 minutes). 

    STEP 8: Lower the heat to a simmer.  Stir in a half cup of room temperature butter and a quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa and whisk until the butter is melted and everything is all mixed up thoroughly.

    STEP 9: Now take one last large mixing bowl and put four cups of confectioners sugar in it.  Give the sugar a good mixing with a dry whisk to break up and clumps, then pour the hot cola mixture in with the confectioner’s sugar (again being careful – it’s also hot!).  Whisk it all up together until it is as smooth as you can get it.

    STEP 10: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the frosting over the top of it, making sure you cover the entire top.

    STEP 11: Here comes the hardest part: let the cake and frosting cool completely before you cut into it.  And if you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge.

    More Tips for making Coca-Cola Cake!

    Can I use Diet Coke?

    Nope, we need the sugar in the real thing. You CAN use any brand of cola soda though. And you can drink a Diet Coke while you are making this cake! :)

    What’s the best way to reduce the cola for the glaze in Step 7?

    I boil the cola for about 14 minutes and then pour it into a heat proof Pyrex measuring cup – do it over the sink carefully – and if there is more than ½ cup, pour the extra out in the sink.

    Can this cake be made ahead of time?

    Definitely! Keep it in the fridge (and don’t tell anyone it’s in there or there will be Coca-Cola chocolate cake pilfering going on!)

    Will the cake taste like soda?

    Nope! The soda just gives it a little extra punch of flavor.

    Have a question that I didn’t cover?

    Leave your question in the comments and I promise to get back to you pronto!

    Now, I originally cut this cake into 12 pieces, and that’s what the recipe below calls for.

    Coca-Cola Cake in Pan

    HOWEVER.

    This cake is rich and delectable and like the best ever combo of chocolate fudge and chocolate cake, and you could easily cut it into 16 squares and everyone will still feel like they got their fair share of Coca-Cola Cake.

    Slice of southern coca-cola cake with ice cream

    And that way you can serve it with ice cream on top with a completely clear conscience. :)

    Print

    Coca-Cola Cake

    slice of Coca-Cola Cake on Plate
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This easy recipe for Southern Chocolate Coca Cola Cake is a traditional favorite that combines a soft chocolate cake with a rich fudge frosting for a crowd-pleasing dessert!

    • Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cooling Time: 2 hours
    • Cook Time: 45 minutes
    • Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
    • Yield: 12 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Oven, Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Scale

    For The Cake

    • 2 cups flour
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • 1/2 cup buttermilk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 can (12 ounces) cola soda
    • 1 cup butter, room temperature
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

    For The Glaze

    • 1 can (12 ounces) cola
    • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
    • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13×9-in. baking pan with cooking spray
    2. Put 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, a teaspoon of baking soda and a half teaspoon each of salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Use a whisk to stir them up together thoroughly and set them aside.
    3. Put 2 eggs, a half cup of buttermilk and a teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small bowl, whisk it up until well combined and set that aside too.
    4. Put 12 ounces (one can) of cola soda in a medium pot.  Add a cup of room temperature butter and a quarter cup of unsweetened baking cocoa in with the soda, stir it all up with a whisk and then bring it to a boil over medium high heat (the butter should all be melted and you should see bubbles around the edges.
    5. Add the cola mixture to the flour mixture (be careful, it’s hot!) and stir until everything is combined.
    6. Next add the egg mixture to the flour and cola mixture and use a whisk to get it all combined and as smooth as you can.  Pour this glorious chocolate concoction into the 9 x 13 pan, pop it in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean.
    7. Once the cake is in the oven it’s time to start the frosting!  Put another 12 ounces of cola soda into a medium pot and bring it to a boil.  Let it boil until it is reduced to about a half cup (about 15 minutes).
      Lower the heat to a simmer.  Stir in a half cup of room temperature butter and a quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa and whisk until the butter is melted and everything is all mixed up thoroughly.
    8. Now take one last large mixing bowl and put four cups of confectioner’s sugar in it.  Give the sugar a good mixing with a dry whisk to break up and clumps, then pour the hot cola mixture in with the confectioner’s sugar (again being careful – it’s also hot!).  Whisk it all up together until it is as smooth as you can get it.
    9. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the frosting over the top of it, making sure you cover the entire top.
    10. Here comes the hardest part: let the cake and frosting cool completely before you cut into it.  And if you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge.

    Equipment We Used to Make This Recipe

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    Mixing Bowls

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    Medium Pot

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    9 x 13 Casserole

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    Notes

    Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)!  Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!

    Keywords: Coca-Cola Cake, Easy Coca-Cola Cake, Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake, Coca Cola Cake Recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag @FramedCooks on Facebook or Instagram…we want to see it!

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    Comments

    1. Barb says

      July 11, 2022 at 10:00 am

      Just made the cake- however the Coke was flat. Hope it works!

      Reply
      • Kate Morgan Jackson says

        July 11, 2022 at 2:19 pm

        I have never made it with flat Coke so I will be so interested to hear if it works – can you let us know? Fingers crossed! :)

        Reply
        • Barb says

          July 11, 2022 at 2:28 pm

          We had a six pack of flat Coke in the cupboard. It worked just fine! Delicious, and I am happy not to waste. Now to try the rest of it in your Cola Pot Roast!

          Reply
          • Kate Morgan Jackson says

            July 11, 2022 at 2:40 pm

            Hurray, I’m so glad! You are so nice to let us know how it worked – now on to Pot Roast! :)

            Reply

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    Kate from Framed Cooks

    Hi, I’m Kate! I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I’m so glad you’re here!

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