This old fashioned coca cola cake is sweet, very moist, and super simple to make. Rich in flavor and smothered with a homemade chocolate icing this recipe is sure to shine!
I’ll admit I wasn’t confident this vintage recipe would turn out when I took it out of the oven. It didn’t look too promising as it didn’t rise like a typical homemade chocolate cake. But then I poured the homemade chocolate icing over the hot cake the icing melted into it. Letting it cool was very difficult – as I couldn’t wait to take a bite!
I recommend making this cake to end the night after a savory dinner. It’s delicious with a hot cup of coffee to cut the sweetness. And if you’re not a fan of nuts, the walnuts can easily be left out.
Table of Contents
Where does the idea of a Coca Cola Cake come from?
In doing some research on my own, it appears most believe the cake idea originated from the Southern United States. The cookbook this recipe comes from was printed in Alabama and copyrighted 1968.
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Coca Cola Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Cups granulated sugar
- 1 Cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 Cup Cola
- 1/2 Cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 Cups mini marshmallows
Chocolate Icing
- 1/2 Cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 6 Tablespoons cola
- 3 1/2 Cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 Cup chopped nuts optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Cake
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Oil and flour 9×13 baking pan.
- Sift the flour and sugar together in a large bowl.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, cocoa powder and cola. Bring to boiling. Pour over the flour mixture.
- Add the buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, vanilla, salt, and marshmallows to the bowl. Stir until completely combined. The batter will be thin, and the marshmallows will float to the top.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350˚ F oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean.
Icing
- In a bowl, combine powdered sugar and vanilla.
- In a saucepan, stir together the cocoa powder, cola and butter. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Pour the hot saucepan ingredients into the bowl. Whisk together until the powdered sugar is melted. Stir in the nuts.
- Pour the icing over the cake when the cake is hot. Let the cake cool and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips About This Cocoa Cola Cake
Here are a few tips when making this cake so you don’t give up before you’re done. The end result is a delicious moist rich cake!
- The batter is runny. This is not a thick batter you’ll be making. Trust the process.
- The cake does not rise as high as a traditional cake. This cake rises about half of what you expect it to. That is okay! It is a rich cake – and is perfect.
- The cake will look not done until it is done. At 30 minutes, the middle of this cake was very wiggly. I was concerned. Five minutes later, the toothpick I entered into the center came out clean.
- The cake will be ugly – before you add the icing. I found the cake to look like bubbles had formed on the top. After pouring on the icing, those bubbles let the icing soak in while the cake is hot and add the fantastic moist texture you will enjoy.
- The marshmallows will not burn – for 35 minutes. I was a little concerned as the marshmallows toasted, but they were fine, and all was well at 35 minutes when I pulled the cake.
- The center will not fall in. Because the cake was not done until it was done, I was sweating the icing. It was fine adding it hot. The cake kept its structure beautifully.
How to Store Leftovers
After enjoying your cake, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This cake freezes well and can be kept frozen (in container) for up to 3 months.
Coca Cola Cake FAQ
No. You need the sweetness of the regular cola to have the best results.
The coca cola cake tastes like a rich, slightly dense and moist cake. It doesn’t rise like a typical taste, so each bite is soaked in the homemade icing which soaks into the cake.
Sure! Dr. Pepper or Root Beer come to mind as a nice substitution. It’s the sugar content that makes this a delicious recipe.
Yes. This recipe is an old fashioned coca cola recipe and if you want to enjoy the original – then add the marshmallows!
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes
- Old-Fashioned Chocolate Apple Cake – Lovely combination of nuts and apples – with chocolate!
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars – another rich dessert!
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