Coca-Cola Cake
The rich, fudgy, old-school cake that always showed up at summer family gatherings
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To me, Coca-Cola Cake is pure old-school Southern dessert. It takes me straight back to those long summer family gatherings when I was a young’un. The house would be full of folks, the table loaded down, and everybody always looked forward to that big pan of chocolaty, fudgy cake.
Cousin Jim Bob would roll in from West Virginia, Grandma and Aunt Alberta would swap stories in the kitchen, and Grandpa and Uncle Bill would sit out on the smoky porch with their cigarettes, listening to whatever ball game was on the radio. Uncle Bill was all about baseball while Grandpa swore by basketball. They’d argue about whose team was better, but they always agreed on one thing — that Coca-Cola Cake was the best thing on the table.
Cake Ingredients (makes one 9x13-inch cake)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
- 1 cup Coca-Cola (plus a little extra if you like it extra fudgy like I do)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make the Coca-Cola Cake
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.
- 2. Microwave the chocolate chips on MEDIUM (50%) until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
- 3. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter with a mixer on medium speed until well blended, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just blended. Add melted chocolate and beat until smooth.
- 4. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until just blended.
- 5. Microwave the Coca-Cola until hot (about 45 seconds). Slowly add it to the batter in a steady stream while beating on low. Beat in the vanilla. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- 6. Bake 33–36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Fudgy Coca-Cola Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5–6 tablespoons Coca-Cola (as needed)
How to Make the Fudgy Coca-Cola Frosting
- 1. Beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- 2. Sift together powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt.
- 3. Mix vanilla with 5 tablespoons of Coca-Cola. Add powdered sugar mixture to butter alternately with the cola mixture, beating on low until smooth.
- 4. Add remaining Coca-Cola 1 teaspoon at a time if needed to reach your desired consistency. (I like it nice and fudgy, so I usually go a little heavy-handed like ol’ Cletus.)
- 5. Spread generously over the cooled cake.
Holler Tips from Cletus
- I like the cake a little fudgy in the middle and the icing nice and thick — don’t be afraid to go heavy on the Coca-Cola like I do.
- Make it a day ahead — the flavors get even better after it sits.
- Leftovers keep great in the fridge, but bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- This cake travels well and always disappears fast at potlucks.
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Got a tweak or your own family Coca-Cola cake secret? Drop it in the comments or holler at me! I read every one.
