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Old Fashioned Coca Cola Cake Recipe

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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 is 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).

a slice of old fashioned Coca Cola cake topped with chopped nuts next to a cherry and whipped cream.

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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 have used Dr.Pepper when making cherry chocolate cupcakes, and those are delicious too. But for this recipe, let’s just stick to the real deal, Coke. 

ingredients needed to make old fashioned Coca Cola cake with text overlay.

Coca Cola Cake Ingredients: 

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: 

  • all-purpose flour
  • granulated sugar
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • ground cinnamon
  • Coca Cola 
  • unsalted butter
  • unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 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
ingredients needed to make glaze for coke cake.

Fudgy icing ingredients:

  • Coca Cola 
  • unsalted butter
  • unsweetened cocoa powder
  • powdered sugar – aka confectioners sugar

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. 

side by side image of flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and cola in a pot with text overlay.

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.

two images of butter and cocoa powder added to cola mixture and cooked batter in a pot with text overlay.

Let the mixture cool slightly, then pour it into the dry ingredients and stir. 

side by side images of cola added to flour mixture and eggs added to buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl with text overlay.

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. 

Make the Chocolate Frosting:

While the cake is baking, sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into separate bowls and set aside. 

side by side images of cola in a pan and butter and cocoa powder added to cola with text overlay.

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. 

powdered sugar added to cola mixture with a whisk and 9x13 pan filled with glazed cake with text overlay.

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 Old Fashioned Cola Cake

  • Don’t skip sifting the cocoa powder and powdered sugar – it’s what makes the glaze smoother. 
  • 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.

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 vanilla ice cream. Or add dollops of whipped cream and maraschino cherries with stems for the perfect dessert presentation.

How to Store 

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.

**Save Old Fashioned Coca Cola Cake Recipe for Later**

a slice of old fashioned Coca Cola cake garnished with chopped nuts with text overlay.
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front view of a slice of old fashioned coca cola cake

Cracker Barrel Copycat Old Fashioned Coca Cola Cake

Indulge in a slice of classic old fashioned Coca Cola cake. A rich chocolate cake with a fudge icing, it's a Cracker Barrel favorite.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Baked Goods, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 16
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Lori @ A Reinvented Mom

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

  • 12 ounce Coca Cola (1 can)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into cubes
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted to remove lumps

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 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.
  • Stir in the butter and cocoa powder and continue stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat.
  • Whisk in powdered sugar a little at a time, stirring until the glaze is smooth.
  • 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.
Tried this recipe?Mention @AReinventedMom or tag #areinventedmom

Nutritional Estimate

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 574IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.

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