Classic Cola Cake With Frosting

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 06/25/21
Slice of Coca Cola cake on plate

Carl Tremblay / Getty Images

 

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 1 9-by-13-inch cake

This is a fabulous chocolate buttermilk cake and frosting with a secret ingredient: cola! If you don't have the self-rising flour the recipe calls for, use this as a substitute: 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

The frosting is spread over the cake when it's still warm, so begin the frosting just before the cake is done.

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Ingredients

For the Cake:

For the Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon cocoa

  • 6 tablespoons cola

  • 1 pound confectioners' sugar

  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.

  2. Grease and flour a 13" x 9" baking pan and set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, combine flour and granulated sugar. Set aside.

  4. In a medium saucepan, combine the 3 tablespoons of cocoa, 1 cup of cola, 1 cup of butter, and marshmallows. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a boil.

  5. Pour the hot cocoa mixture into the flour and sugar mixture; stir to blend.

  6. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla; add to the first mixture and blend well.

  7. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

  8. About 10 minutes before the cake is done, begin the frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 1/2 cup of butter, 1 tablespoon of cocoa, and 6 tablespoons of cola to a boil. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and well blended. If using, stir in the chopped pecans. 

  9. Remove the cake from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. 

  10. Spread the frosting over the cake while both cake and frosting are still warm.

Tip

  • If you plan to take the cake out of the pan, line it with parchment paper to ensure it will not stick. Cut the parchment paper to fit the inside of the baking pan. Grease the pan and then fit the cut parchment paper into the pan. Smooth the paper to eliminate any wrinkles. Grease the parchment paper and flour the pan.

Recipe Variation

  • Use about 1/3 cup of marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme in place of the marshmallows.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
457 Calories
18g Fat
72g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 457
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 69mg 23%
Sodium 296mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 72g 26%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 58g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 71mg 5%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 47mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)