This Coca-Cola Cake is a rich and delicious sheet pan chocolate cake, made famous by the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. While you could take a trip to Cracker Barrel and order up a slice, it’s much more cost-effective, and super easy to make a whole pan of cake with Coca-Cola at home! If you’ve made my Texas Sheet Cake recipe, you will be familiar with how this recipe works, because the two use very similar cooking methods. Specifically, both recipes have you boiling a chocolate mixture to start the cake batter and have a rich chocolate frosting that’s added while the cake is still warm. They may look similar, but Texas Sheet Cake and Cocoa Cola Cake are very different cakes. Coca Cola Cake uses soda to add a distinct, but subtle flavor to this recipe. It also tenderizes the cake, making it moist and tender. Want to try a different type of cake made with soda? 7Up Cake is another great recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Want to learn how to make a few more styles of delicious chocolate cake? Try my old-fashioned Mayonaise Cake with creamy chocolate frosting. Or get a little bit fancy and make my Classic Chocolate Cake. In this post I’ve decorated it for Easter, but it’s perfect for stacking and decorating with chocolate buttercream for any occasion.
Key Ingredients In Coca Cola Cake
Here’s what you need to make this amazing chocolate cake with Coke:
Coca-Cola – We’ll use some coke in the cake batter, and even more in the frosting! It adds a light and unique flavor to this chocolate cake and makes the cake itself super tender. Sour Cream – This ingredient also aids in giving the cake an extra moist crumb. In place of sour cream, you can also use plain yogurt or buttermilk. Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is what makes this cake rich and decadent.
Ingredients in Coca Cola Frosting
Vanilla Extract – for the most delicious baked goods, use a good quality pure vanilla extract. Vanilla enhances the flavor of the chocolate and Coca Cola in this recipe. Butter – there’s no need to soften the butter, we’ll be heating the frosting on the stove to make it perfectly smooth and pourable. Powdered Sugar – It’s very important that you sift the powdered sugar when making this icing. If you don’t, it will likely clump up and leave you with a less-than-smooth cake topping.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Cake with Coca Cola
Recipe Tips
Measuring is important: Baking a cake requires accurate measurements. If you need a refresher, see my post on How to Measure Ingredients for Baking. Make Sure to Sift the Powdered Sugar! Unsifted sugar will create a lumpy frosting. If you forget to sift it, you can rescue the frosting by mixing it with your electric mixer until the lumps are gone. Add the Frosting to a Warm Cake: You only need to let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes before pouring the frosting over it. The heat from the cake will melt the frosting, allowing it to seep into the top layer of the cake. Try Other Sodas! Dr. Pepper or Root Beer can also be used in this recipe and will give you a slightly different, but still delicious flavor. You can also try vanilla or cherry Coke instead of the original. Add Toppings: Try sprinkling your cake with chopped nuts or chocolate chips. Try Mix-Ins: Some people like to add miniature marshmallows or chocolate chips to the cake batter. I haven’t tried it, but I can’t imagine that it would be a bad thing!
Storing Tips
Store this cake in an airtight container either in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze servings of Coca-Cola Cake for up to 4 months.
What To Serve With Coca Cola Cake
This delicious chocolate cake is welcome on any occasion, but it seems to be most popular at parties, potlucks, and casual gatherings. If you’re feeding a crowd, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Ambrosia Salad, and Funeral Potatoes recipes. They are all classic shareable dishes that are loved by everyone. This Coca Cola Cake recipe is even better than Cracker Barrel’s and easy to make! Be sure to Pin the recipe and share it with your friends. © Little Sunny Kitchen
