Old Fashioned Southern Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

This old fashioned Coca Cola cake recipe is quite possibly the easiest chocolate cake ever.  It doesn't even require an electric mixer! Coca Cola is the not-so-secret ingredient in both the chocolatey cake and the fudgy icing, providing the ultimate tender texture and crave-able topping.

My favorite part about this moist chocolate cake though is that you pour the chocolate frosting over the top of the warm cake and let it cool; no fussy decorating necessary.

I'm a Georgia girl, so you better believe Coca-Cola is my soda of choice. Add that to a dessert recipe, and I'll be the first person in line to try it. I grew up eating this cake; my mom would make it for us at home and for the bed and breakfast she and my dad owned.

Sometimes she would add chopped pecans and sometimes she made it like the recipe here. Either way, this is one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes of all time, and I'm pretty sure it'll be yours too.

This cake is a fantastic option to bring to a potluck, and you'll be very popular if you do. Other great get-together recipes for the holidays or anytime of year are my baked macaroni and cheese, bacon and blue cheese potato salad, and homemade banana pudding recipes.

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this Coca-Cola cake recipe:

• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• baking soda
• salted butter
• Coca Cola
• whole buttermilk
• cocoa powder
• large eggs
• vanilla extract
• powdered sugar

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get baking!

1. First, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl. Bring the butter, cola, buttermilk, and cocoa powder to a bowl in a medium saucepan. Add to the flour mixture in the bowl and stir to combine.

2. Next, whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the batter is smooth.

3. Then, pour the batter into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 32 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Finally, make the frosting: Bring the butter, cola, and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Pour the warm frosting over the hot cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature before cutting into squares and serving.

Hint: Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting ingredients to prevent lumps. If you forget to do this step and your frosting is lumpy, pulse it in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Substitutions

Looking for some ways to change up this recipe? Check out these substitution options:

• Coca Cola - I'm from Georgia, so of course I'm a Coca-Cola girl. (Coca-Cola headquarters is in Atlanta.) If you want to substitute another cola, like Dr. Pepper or Cheerwine, go for it. The cake will just differ in flavor.
• Buttermilk - For this recipe, I use whole buttermilk. Use low-fat buttermilk if you prefer.
• Butter - I prefer to use salted butter to balance the sweetness of the cake. If you only have unsalted butter, that's okay. Just add ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the cake batter and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to the frosting.
• A la Mode - This decadent chocolate cake is also fantastic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each serving.

Variations

Here are some more fun twists for this delicious chocolate cake recipe:

• Nuts - Sprinkle the top of the cake with toasted pecans or walnuts to add a nutty crunch.
• Mississippi Mud Cake - Sprinkle the top with miniature marshmallows and nuts to make this a Mississippi Mud Cake.
• Cherry Cola Cake - Cherry Coke is a great twist for this recipe. You can also garnish with maraschino cherries.
• Coffee Cola Cake - Espresso powder naturally brings out the flavor of chocolate. Add 1 tablespoon of espresso powder to the cake batter to add more richness and a delicate coffee flavor.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:

• dry measuring cups
• liquid measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• whisk
• sifter
• medium saucepan
• large mixing bowl
• 13- x 9-inch baking pan
• rubber spatula

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze the cake in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw eggs
• Wash hands after touching raw eggs
• Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.