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Our Old Fashioned Coca Cola Cake Recipe has been a home-baking staple for decades and still stands the test of time. This moist chocolate cake has a rich chocolate flavor and is topped with a fudgy glaze that’s almost sinful.
Nothing satisfies a sweet tooth like a slice of this old-fashioned Southern favorite. Enjoy a slice after dinner with a cup of coffee. Or for breakfast (no judgement here).
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
If you’ve been around the block for a little bit, you may recognize this cake recipe from the Cracker Barrel restaurant menu. While Coca Cola cake recipes vary from one region to the next, Cracker Barrel has a top secret version. But this copycat version is pretty darn close.
We consider this Southern classic Coke cake recipe “old fashioned” and “vintage” because it has been around for a LONG time. It kind of reminds me of my Texas Sheet Cake Cookies, but that recipe doesn’t call for any soda.
I’ve also used Dr.Pepper to make Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes, and those are delicious too. But for this recipe, let’s just stick to the real deal, Coke.
Old Fashioned Coca Cola Cake Ingredients Needed
While we love a good shortcut as much as the next person, today we are going with a homemade chocolate cake recipe. But don’t worry – it’s really easy to make.
For the Chocolate Cake:
- dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt
- spices: ground cinnamon
- Coca Cola
- butter – we used unsalted for this recipe
- unsweetened cocoa powder – make sure you use a good-quality brand.
- eggs – allow time for them to come to room temperature
- buttermilk – don’t have buttermilk? Scroll down to learn how to make your own.
- vanilla extract
Fudgy icing ingredients:
- Coca Cola
- unsalted butter
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- powdered sugar – aka confectioners sugar
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake
Prepare a 13×9 baking pan by greasing it with nonstick cooking spray and adding a light dusting of flour and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk together.
Combine the soda, one cup of butter and the cocoa powder in a small saucepan over Medium heat and bring to a boil until the butter melts.
Let the mixture cool slightly, then pour it into the dry ingredients and stir.
Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk in a small bowl. Then mix it in with the other cake ingredients.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to Make the Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
While the cake is baking, sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into separate bowls and set aside.
Bring the Coca Cola to a boil in a medium saucepan, and cook until it’s reduced to about a ½ cup.
Stir in the cocoa powder and butter, stirring until it melts, then remove pan from the heat.
Whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time and continue to stir until the glaze is smooth.
Once the cake has finished baking, pour the glaze over the top of the warm cake and let the cake cool and the frosting firm up.
Tips for Making Cake with Coca Cola
- To make a buttermilk substitute, measure ½ cup of regular milk and stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes before adding it to the batter.
- You can make this recipe in a sheet pan, but you’ll need to adjust the baking time.
- Don’t skip sifting the cocoa powder and powdered sugar – it’s what makes the glaze smoother.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- You can substitute a boxed cake mix but we think this cake is best with the scratch-made cake. And I promise this homemade cake recipe is super simple to make.
- For extra texture, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the top of the cake right after pouring on the glaze.
- We’ve seen some versions that swap the cola for other drinks like Dr. Pepper, but we haven’t experimented with that. Coca Cola is our favorite because the cola flavor and sweetness pairs well with the chocolate flavors of the cake and frosting.
Can I use Diet Coke for this recipe?
While we haven’t tried it personally, we’ve only heard disappointing results when swapping to Diet Coke. Regular Coke adds the perfect amount of flavor and texture to the cake, which is what makes this recipe special.
What to Serve With Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake
This decadent chocolate cake is delicious on its own but you can take it to the next level with a scoop of no churn ice cream. Or add dollops of whipped cream and maraschino cherries with stems for the perfect dessert presentation.
How to Store Leftover Cake
Keep leftover double chocolate cake in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I have this covered cake pan that works great for leftover cake storage.
MORE EASY
Desserts for Chocolate Lovers
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Old Fashioned Coca Cola Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Covered cake pan optional
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 ounce Coca Cola (1 can)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into cubes
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted to remove lumps
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
- 12 ounce Coca Cola (1 can)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into cubes
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 13×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and a dusting of flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a small saucepan, combine cola, 1 cup butter and cocoa powder. Bring just to a boil so butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool slightly.12 ounce Coca Cola (1 can), 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into cubes, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add cola mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract until well combined.2 large eggs, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add to the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Glaze Instructions
- While the cake is baking, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa in separate bowls and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the cola to a boil and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced to ½ cup, about 12-15 minutes.12 ounce Coca Cola (1 can)
- Stir in the butter and cocoa powder and continue stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat.½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into cubes, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Whisk in powdered sugar a little at a time, stirring until the glaze is smooth.4 cups powdered sugar
- Pour glaze over the warm cake. Let the cake sit on the counter until the glazed has firmed up.
Notes
- Don’t skip sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa – it makes the glaze smoother.
- Can be made in a sheet pan but you’ll need to adjust the baking time.
- Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator.
- You can adjust the serving sizes to 12 large pieces or 20 smaller pieces of cake.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
