Coca Cola Sheet Cake is a beloved Southern classic, known for its rich flavor and irresistibly moist, nostalgic charm. Try it out today!
When you are looking for a Party Cake with rich chocolate flavor, nothing beats easy classics like Chocolate Sheet Cake, Texas Sheet Cake, or this Southern favorite. Everyone is sure to love it!
Sabrina’s Coca Cola Sheet Cake Recipe
This classic chocolate cake recipe is a staple in Southern cooking, found at potlucks and get-togethers right alongside pecan pies, Red Velvet Cake, and Banana Pudding. Coca Cola Cake has a distinctive flavor, with rich dark chocolate and bold cola flavor that just melts in your mouth. Serve this iconic cake for special occasions or whenever you are craving intense chocolate flavor!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Coca Cola Cake
- 12 ounces Coca Cola soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coca Cola Chocolate Frosting:
- 12 ounces Coca Cola soda
- 1/2 cup salted butter , softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking pan with baking spray.
- Add soda, butter and cocoa powder to a large pot and bring to a boil, whisking well.
- Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pan and whisk well until smooth.
- Turn off the heat.
- In a second bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.
- Whisking very quickly, pour the eggs in a thin stream into the pot (do not stop whisking), until smooth.
- Pour into baking pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Coca Cola Chocolate Frosting:
- Add soda to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes or until reduced to about ½ cup.
- Whisk in the butter, cocoa powder and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Pour over cake while warm.
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
This old-fashioned Southern favorite is made with regular Coca-Cola but you can swap in any soda you like. Try other soft drinks your family loves in this rich chocolate cake recipe or you can try the combinations in the variation section with other sodas. Even diet cola can be used, either for the distinctive flavor or to pretend the cake is healthier!
Baking Tips & Tricks
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can replace it with ½ cup milk with ½ tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Let the milk mixture sit for 15-20 minutes then use in the recipe as usual. You can also use sour cream or Greek yogurt for the same tangy flavor that also helps the cake stay tender and moist.
- Prepare: Bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before starting to prepare your cake. Starting with room temperature eggs and milk will help them generate more air and also help the cake cook evenly.
- Cake Batter: Use a whisk to combine the ingredients to create more air as you are combining the ingredients. As you add the egg mixture, keep whisking quickly and add in a thin stream so that they don’t cook as you stir them in.
How to Store
- Serve: Cake is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.
- Store: You can keep this cake at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. Transfer sheet cake to an airtight container or cover pan tightly with plastic wrap before storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature or heat in microwave for 30 seconds to serve.
- Freeze: Once completely cooled, wrap pan tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil or transfer cake to a sealed container. Freeze this cake for up to 6 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight to serve.
Ideas to Serve Coca Cola Sheet Cake
Top a slice of warm cake with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream for a sweet cream and chocolate flavor combo. A drizzle of Salted Caramel Sauce would taste delicious too.
Variations
- 7Up Cake: Make a 7-up Sheet Cake by adding 7-Up soda instead of cola and making the cake a vanilla cake. Replace the cocoa powder with an extra ¼ cup all-purpose flour and increase to 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Dr. Pepper Cake: A Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake tastes even better with more a little cherry flavor added too. Add 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice and top frosting with chopped maraschino or candied cherries.
- Coca Cola Cupcakes: To make cupcakes, bake in well-greased muffin tins for 18-22 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. This batter should make about 24-30 cupcakes. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- Layered Cake: Divide cake batter between 2 round pans sprayed with baking spray and lined with parchment circles in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick in center comes out with moist crumbs. Rest cakes for 15 minutes before removing from pan and allow to cool completely before layering and frosting.
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Photos used in previous post
1 cup butter = 227g? I’m in Australia.
This version does not use oil?? Is that right??
Correct !