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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cake

    Coca Cola Cake

    September 13, 2021 By Sam 53 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of coca cola cake, top image of single slice being removed from baking dish using spatula, bottom image close up of slice on white plate

    Crack open a can and make this Coca Cola Cake! Soft, chocolatey cake meets rich, fudgy icing in this classic southern dessert made with a not-so-secret ingredient. Scroll down to the recipe for a how-to video!

    Thick squares of coca cola cake with shiny brown frosting in white cake pan

    The Best Coca Cola Cake

    If the idea of pouring soda into cake batter doesn’t sit right with you, let me ease your mind.

    Southerners have been making soda cakes like this Coca Cola cake since the early 1950s. At that time, busy home bakers loved the versatility of the bubbly beverage; not only did it provide sweetness and moisture, but it also acted as a leavening agent, adding lift and air. Using soda saved time and money, and it made some seriously crowd-pleasing desserts.

    It’s worth noting that the cola in this cake is not overwhelming; instead, it imparts a very subtle flavor that complements the chocolate beautifully. It’s like a lighter (in texture, not in calories), less chocolatey version of my devil’s food cake that’s both moist and flavorful. To finish, it’s topped with a thick layer of soft, just-set icing (like the one on my Texas sheet cake) that is one of my favorites.

    Let’s get started!

    What You Need

    Overhead view of ingredients to make coca cola cake

    Making Coca Cola cake isn’t complicated, and neither are the ingredients! You’ll most likely have most these on hand already.

    • Coca Cola. As mentioned above, cola adds a subtle flavor in addition to lift. It also adds acid, which balances the sweetness of the cake and the icing. If you don’t have cola, you could try substituting another dark soda, like root beer or Dr. Pepper.
    • Butter. Between the cake and the icing, we need a lot of butter. While I often love to use a blend of butter and oil, I found it wasn’t necessary in today’s recipe and even weighed down the crumb too much. Skip the oil, you’ll still have a moist and very flavorful cake!
    • Cocoa powder. Use plain, unsweetened/natural cocoa powder to give this cake its chocolate flavor. Do not use Dutch-processed cocoa; not only are the chemical properties different but Dutch-processed also has a more intense chocolate flavor that will overwhelm the cake and completely bully the already light cola flavor!
    • Flour. Since we’re using cocoa powder and cornstarch in this recipe, stick with all-purpose flour. Cake flour likely won’t hold up properly with those two light ingredients.
    • Sugar. We don’t need as much sugar as we would in your average cake recipe since we’re getting a fair bit from the cola. However, we do need to add some to achieve a tender, moist (and perfectly sweetened) cake. While I played around with using a blend of brown and white sugar, I ultimately settled on just granulated sugar, to better let the cola flavors shine.
    • Baking soda and powder. When using acidic ingredients (cola, cocoa powder, and sour cream here!) it’s often necessary to use both baking soda and baking powder for proper rise.
    • Sour cream. This adds moisture and fat, which ultimately enhances flavor. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt would also work here.

    SAM’S NOTE: Traditional recipes like this Coca Cola cake have been passed down through generations, with each making their own modifications to suit their tastes. I’ve done the same with my recipe, omitting the marshmallows and pecans that appeared in the classic recipe, in order to let the cola flavor shine. The end result is a simple but standout chocolate cake that I think you’ll love. Side note: if you’re looking for chocolate cake that does include marshmallows and pecans, I suggest you try my Mississippi Mud Cake.

    Remember, this is just an overview of some of the ingredients used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Coca Cola Cake

    Collage of four photos showing how to make coca cola cake
    1. Combine cola, butter, and cocoa powder in saucepan and heat until butter has melted and the mixture comes to a boil. The ingredients may be separated and it might not look pretty, but don’t panic! Things will come together a bit later on.
    2. Remove from heat and cool for several minutes before pouring into to dry ingredients.
    3. Add remaining wet ingredients and mix well until smooth and combined. With this cake, there’s a low-risk of over-mixing the batter and it’s more important to ensure that the ingredients are well-combined and the batter is smooth.
    4. Pour batter (it will be thin) into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

    Making the Frosting

    collage of four photos showing the preparation of coca cola cake icing and the icing being spread onto a cake
    1. Reduce cola over stove until you have roughly ⅓ to ½ cup. This step is important, we cook out much of the water and concentrate the cola flavor.
    2. Add butter and salt and cook until the butter melts. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder (adding the cocoa to a warm liquid “blooms” it, helping to really bring out the rich chocolate flavors!).
    3. Add powdered sugar and whisk again until completely lump free.
    4. Immediately pour over warm cake. Allow Coca Cola cake and frosting to cool before serving… or be impatient like I am and scoop it out by the messy, fudgy, hot spoonful and slap some vanilla ice cream on top!

    SAM’S TIP: This cake pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.

    Square slice of frosted coca cola cake being lifted out of cake pan

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does Coca Cola cake taste like?

    This cake is chocolatey, but with a crumb that’s a bit less intense and less fudgy than my chocolate cake. As with most Coca Cola cakes, the cola taste itself is understated, but it adds a unique flavor that you’ll be able to distinguish when you try it.

    Can I add nuts to this cake?

    Yes! While I like it as is, you can certainly add a cup or so of chopped pecans or walnuts immediately after frosting. Just sprinkle them overtop! If you add them directly into the cake batter they may sink to the bottom.

    Is it okay to use a flavored Coca Cola?

    I don’t see why not! Cherry, orange, or vanilla would all be worth a try. If you do try this, definitely let me know how it turns out in the comments.

    Close-up view of square piece of coca cola cake on white plate

    Enjoy!

    More Southern Recipes You Might Like

    • Banana Pudding
    • Pecan Pie
    • Hummingbird Cake

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    Thick squares of coca cola cake with shiny brown frosting in white cake pan

    Coca Cola Cake

    Crack open a can and make this Coca Cola Cake! Soft, chocolatey cake meets rich, fudgy icing in this classic southern dessert made with a not-so-secret ingredient.
    Recipe includes a how-to video!
    4.99 from 52 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 Servings
    Calories: 624kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz (354 ml) Coca Cola 1 ½ cups
    • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter cubed
    • ½ cup (50 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder see note
    • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cup (190 g) sour cream
    • 2 large eggs lightly beaten. room temperature preferred
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    For Frosting

    • 12 oz (354 ml) Coca Cola 1 ½ cups
    • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter cut into pieces
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 3 Tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar

    Recommended Equipment

    • 13×9 baking dish
    • Medium saucepan
    • Mixing bowls

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and spray a 9×13” (23x33cm) baking pan with baking spray.
    • Combine 12 oz cola, butter, and cocoa powder in a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-heat until butter has melted (the mixture may separate in the saucepan, that is OK). Bring to a boil, stirring frequently then remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare your dry ingredients.
      12 oz (354 ml) Coca Cola, 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (50 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
    • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
      2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Pour cola mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
    • Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract and stir again until the batter is smooth.
      ¾ cup (190 g) sour cream, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Pour batter into prepared 9×13 (23x33cm) baking pan and transfer to 350F (175C) oven. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs or clean. Baking time given is for a metal baking pan, glass or ceramic will take longer to bake (approximately 35-38 minutes).

    Frosting

    • While cake is in the oven or is cooling you can prepare the frosting.
    • Pour cola into a clean medium-sized saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until it has reduced in volume so that it is between ⅓ and ½ cup (79-118ml). You will need to carefully pour the cola into a heatproof liquid measuring cup to check if it has been reduced enough.
      12 oz (354 ml) Coca Cola
    • Once cola has been reduced enough, add butter and salt and continue to cook over medium/low heat until the butter is melted (if the mixture looks a bit separated this is fine, it will come together in the next step).
      ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Remove from heat and add cocoa powder, whisking until smooth.
      3 Tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
    • Add powdered sugar and whisk again until frosting is smooth and lump free and immediately pour/spread over warm cake.
      4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
    • Allow cake to cool and frosting to set before slicing and serving. This cake is great served by itself or with vanilla ice cream!

    Notes

    Cocoa Powder:

    I do not recommend substituting Dutch-process cocoa powder, which has a stronger flavor and will overpower the already subtle flavor of the coca cola.

    Storing:

    I always store this cake directly in the pan that it is baked in. It will keep, covered, at room temperature, for 3-5 days. The cake may also be refrigerated but keep in mind that this will dry out the cake. Coca Cola Cake may also be frozen (tightly covered) for several months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 838IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tia

      May 11, 2025 at 5:55 pm

      5 stars
      Best choco cake ever

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 11, 2025 at 9:25 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Tia! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Ryn

      October 13, 2024 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      This cake really surprised me! A lot of recipes for chocolate cake can turn out too sweet or too “heavy”, but that wasn’t a problem here at all. In fact, this will become my go-to for chocolate cake henceforth. The crumb is light and tender, the texture and amount of frosting is perfect for the cake it’s paired with. And it doesn’t taste overtly like a can of soda either. Not cloying in its sweetness at all. Thanks so much for sharing this!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        October 14, 2024 at 7:24 am

        I’m so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Ryn! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Sherri

      September 16, 2024 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      This cake turned out amazing!!! The crumb is so light and fluffy. I could have ate the cake without the icing. I have never done a glaze and was a little intimidated, but it worked perfectly. I feel like this cake is giving me a vibe between a brownie and Texas sheet cake. My co-workers definitely enjoyed it. Thanks for another amazing recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        September 16, 2024 at 1:03 pm

        We are so happy it was such a hit, Sherri! ๐Ÿฅฐ

        Reply
    4. Maggie W

      July 17, 2024 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      Another home run by Sugar Spun Run! I made this for my grandsonโ€™s homecoming. He says it is the best cake he has ever had! Thank you for another โ€œkeeperโ€.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        July 18, 2024 at 9:11 am

        We’re so happy it was a hit! Thanks for using our recipe, Maggie โค๏ธ

        Reply
    5. Meredith

      June 02, 2024 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      I have been making a recipe for years that claims to be the original Coca Cola cake recipe. Though my family always enjoys it, there was a little “oiliness” in the finished product that I didn’t adore. This recipe is wonderful! A little chocolatier and a slightly different crumb that was very nice (I subbed the sour cream for greek yogurt which I had on hand.) I also enjoyed the subtle soda taste in the frosting as opposed to just cream. Thanks so much for the recipe and all your interesting videos! My young teen daughter enjoys watching you bake.

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 02, 2024 at 9:02 pm

        Thank you so much, Meredith! I’m so glad it was such a hit! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Gigi

      May 31, 2024 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      The best recipe by far!!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        June 03, 2024 at 11:06 am

        We’re so happy you think so, Gigi! โค๏ธ

        Reply
    7. Lauraine

      June 10, 2023 at 9:10 pm

      5 stars
      Just finished putting the icing on the cake and now I canโ€™t wait to get into it.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        June 12, 2023 at 9:47 am

        We hope you absolutely love it, Lauraine!

        Reply
    8. Laura

      November 30, 2022 at 8:13 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this recipe! I used it to make cupcakes, and they were lovely. The coke flavor is definitely subtle, but I feel like it amplifies the chocolate in a wonderful way.
      If anyone else is looking to do cupcakes I baked for 22 minutes at 325ยฐ (I lowered the temp from the recommended 350ยฐ because I was using non-stick bakeware) Also, because I was doing cupcakes I wasn’t able to pour the frosting over a warm cake to set as instructed. Instead I followed the frosting recipe as directed, and then once it was cool I added a few tablespoons of room temp butter, and whipped it with a hand mixer. The resulting frosting was light airy and perfect for piping onto the cooled cupcakes.

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 30, 2022 at 9:03 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Laura! Thank you for the feedback on making them as cupcakes and how you made the frosting. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Jerry Incrocci

          April 02, 2023 at 11:12 pm

          5 stars
          I made this cake but used your favorite chocolate frosting. This cake is the bomb. I finally found the perfect homemade chocolate cake I have been searching for and I’m 73, that’s a lot of searching. Thank you so very much for all the work you put into all the recipes you give to us, you are such a joy to watch.

        • Sam

          April 03, 2023 at 9:56 pm

          Thank you so much, Jerry! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake so much! ๐Ÿ™‚

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