Coca-Cola Cake

Lately, I have been testing several dessert cake recipes. I am specifically interested in testing and/or developing "go-to" recipes for classic southern cakes. I have a great buttermilk cake recipe to share with you in the next couple of weeks but today, I am going to share a recipe for Coca Cola Cake.

Coca-Cola was invented in Atlanta, GA. Coca-Cola (better known as "Coke") is the most popular carbonated beverage in the south. In fact, we pretty much call all soda pop "coke" even if it is a Pepsi product.

Coca-Cola Cake Recipe

This recipe comes from a "Southern Living" cookbook and is pretty easy to make.

For the cake, you will need:

1 cup of Coke

1/2 cup buttermilk (room temp)

1 cup butter (room temp)

1-3/4 cup sugar (12.25 oz or 346.5g)

2 large eggs (room temp)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour (9 oz or 254g)

1/4 cup cocoa (.75oz or 21.25g)

1 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Prepare a 9x13 pan by buttering & flouring or use a homemade cake release like I do. It's just equal parts of vegetable oil, flour and vegetable shortening mixed together. Brush into pan so cake won't stick. Since this is a "non-decorated" cake, I baked it in a disposable cake tin. They are flimsy so I placed the entire tin inside of my normal 9x13 to add stability so it would be easier to pick up. You could place it on a sheet pan instead. I use a stand mixer, but you can use a hand mixer.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour your coke and buttermilk into a bowl or cup and let it stand. Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the vanilla extract to them. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda in a bowl and whisk together to combine.

Put your butter into the mixer bowl and cream it on low (stopping to scrape down

bottom and sides as needed). Slowly add the sugar and continue to cream 4-5

minutes until your mixture is light & fluffy. I usually have to stop a couple of times to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is incorporated before adding the second.

Now, you are going to alternate adding the flour mixture and the coke-buttermilk mixture (starting & ending with the flour mix).You do this by adding about 1/3 of the flour mix, then 1/2 of the coke-buttermilk, then 1/3 of the flour mix, then rest of the coke-buttermilk, then rest of the flour mix. Once you start adding the flour, only mix it long enough to blend the ingredients. Mixing the flour too long will make your cake tough.

Add your marshmallows and blend by hand. Pour into your pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 min. (**Note: I had to bake this cake for about 50 min - I think it took much longer because of the double pan I had it in).

Coca-Cola Cake Frosting

After your cake is done and it is cooling, you can make your frosting. DO NOT make this frosting ahead of time. It will not pour correctly if it is too cool.

For the frosting, you will need:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup coke

3 Tbsp cocoa

16 oz powdered sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Put the butter, coke and cocoa in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, then whisk in the

powdered sugar. I normally sift my powdered sugar but I don't think it's necessary for this icing (I just do it out of habit). Keep whisking until smooth but don't let it cool too much or you won't be able to pour it. Pour on top of your warm cake.

This cake is really good if you warm it a bit and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!