Coca Cola Cake

This old-fashioned Coca Cola Cake is a rich, ultra-moist Southern chocolate sheet cake topped with warm fudgy icing. Easy to make, nostalgic, and perfect for potlucks, holidays, and family dinners.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword coca cola cake, coca cola cake recipe, Grandma's Coca Cola Cake-A Sweet Southern Tradition, Sheet Cake, southern chocolate cake

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 604kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) can Coca Cola regular-not diet
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Icing:

1 (12-ounce) can Coca Cola regular-not diet
1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177ºC). Butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray on a 9 X 13-inch baking pan.
Whisk the first 4 ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, add the Coca-Cola (1 can), cocoa (1/4 cup), and butter (1 cup) and bring just to a boil, over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until blended.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs (2), buttermilk (1/2 cup), and vanilla (2 teaspoons) together then whisk into the flour mixture.
Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Prepare Icing:

Start making the icing the last 15 minutes before the cake is done baking. In a saucepan, bring the Coca-Cola to a boil, over medium-high; continue to cook 12-15 minutes or until soda has been reduced to 1/2 a cup.
Stir in the butter (1/2 cup), and cocoa (1/4 cup) until the butter has melted. Remove from heat, add vanilla (1 teaspoon) and Confectioners' Sugar (3 3/4 cups), and mix until smooth. Pour immediately over the hot cake.

Notes

Diet Coca Cola: No. Just a Big No. Don’t do it. This, and all other, cake recipes call for regular Coca Cola only!
Buttermilk: Oh, buttermilk. One of those ingredients that you either always have in your fridge, or you never have in your fridge. There is no in-between. If you’re not an avid baker, chances are you definitely do not have buttermilk on hand frequently, if ever. Buttermilk is fantastic for baking, as it adds a very subtle tang along with tenderness to the batters it’s added to. In my opinion, there should never be a Coca Cola cake without buttermilk! I highly recommend making sure you grab some for this recipe, but in a pinch, you can use the following substitute:
- Buttermilk Substitute:
  1. 1 Tbsp of white vinegar or lemon juice
  2. 1 C milk
  3. Stir, let stand for 5 minutes
  4. This recipe will be equal to one cup of buttermilk
Powdered Sugar: Nobody wants a lumpy icing on a cake. Sift your powdered sugar. You want it to blend in smoothly with the icing and avoid white lumps!
Icing: This cake is delicious on its own, but the icing, added while the cake is still warm, adds a fudge-tastic topping that completes it.
- Three things are very important in our Coca Cola cake icing instructions:
  1. Make the icing while the cake is in the oven.
  2. Pouring while the cake is still hot.
  3. Ensuring that the Coca Cola has boiled down to half a cup. If the Coke does not reduce and thicken up, you’ll be left with a icing that’s too runny and seriously lacking in fudge.

Nutrition