Coca Cola Cake Recipe (From Scratch)
This Coca Cola Cake recipe is an old-fashioned chocolate cake made completely from scratch with Coca-Cola in both the cake and the fudgy chocolate glaze. It’s incredibly moist, rich, chocolatey, and baked in a simple 9×13 pan; exactly the kind of easy dessert that disappears at potlucks and family gatherings.
If you’ve ever had a slice of Coca Cola Cake and wondered what makes it so good, the answer really is the Coke! It adds sweetness and flavor to the chocolate cake while helping create that soft, moist texture.
Even better, you don’t need a cake mix. This homemade version uses simple pantry ingredients and only takes about 30 minutes to bake.
Why You’ll Love This Coca Cola Cake
There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about a warm chocolate sheet cake covered in a cooked chocolate glaze. This one is especially easy because there are no cake layers to stack and no frosting to pipe.
You’ll love it because it’s:
- Made completely from scratch
- Baked in an easy 9×13 pan
- Moist and chocolatey
- Covered with a warm Coca Cola chocolate glaze
- Easy to make ahead
- Perfect for parties, potlucks, holidays, cookouts, and family dinners
And yes, you can actually taste a little of the Coca-Cola flavor. It’s subtle in the cake, but reducing the Coke for the glaze helps concentrate its flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You don’t need anything complicated to make homemade Coca Cola Cake. Most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry.
- flour
- sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- coca-cola
- butter
- eggs
- cocoa powder
- buttermilk or milk
- powdered sugar
You will also need
- 13×9 pan
- mixing bowl
- saucepan
- mixer (stand or hand)
How to Make Coca Cola Cake From Scratch
Don’t let the saucepan scare you away. Making this cake from scratch really isn’t much harder than using a boxed cake mix.
1. Prepare the pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and lightly dust it with flour.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set the bowl aside.
3. Heat the Coca-Cola mixture
Combine the Coca-Cola, butter, and cocoa powder in a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture just to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
Pour the warm Coca-Cola mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until everything is moistened.
4. Add the eggs and buttermilk
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Add this mixture to the cake batter and whisk just until everything is well combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13 pan.
5. Bake
Bake the Coca Cola Cake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, make the glaze.
How to Make Coca Cola Cake Glaze
This isn’t a traditional buttercream frosting. It’s a warm, fudgy chocolate glaze that gets poured directly over the cake.
Start by sifting the powdered sugar into a bowl. This little step is worth doing because it helps prevent lumps in the finished glaze.
Pour the Coca-Cola into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Continue cooking until it has reduced to about ½ cup, which should take approximately 12–15 minutes.
Add the butter and cocoa powder and stir until the butter has completely melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth.
Now comes the best part.
Pour the warm chocolate Coca Cola glaze over the warm cake.
Spread it evenly if necessary and then leave the cake alone long enough for that gorgeous chocolate topping to set.
When your cake is done, you are going to pour the warm glaze over the warm cake and let the magic happen.
Tips for the Best Coca Cola Cake
Use regular Coca-Cola. This is dessert — go for the real thing. I don’t recommend Diet Coke or Coke Zero for this recipe because sugar is part of the chemistry and texture of the cake and glaze.
Don’t skip reducing the Coke for the glaze. You’re concentrating that cola flavor instead of adding more liquid to the frosting.
Sift the powdered sugar. Nobody wants little powdered-sugar lumps hiding in an otherwise silky chocolate glaze.
Pour the glaze over the cake while it’s warm. You want the warm glaze and warm cake to meet.
Don’t overbake it. Start checking the cake around the 30-minute mark. A dry Coca Cola Cake is a sad Coca Cola Cake.
You can top your cake with chopped walnuts, whole walnuts, even peanuts, or just leave it as is.
Can I Add Pecans?
Absolutely. Chopped pecans are delicious sprinkled over the top of Coca Cola Cake and give the soft cake and fudgy glaze a little crunch.
Walnuts work too, or you can leave the nuts off completely.
Can I Use a Different Soda?
Yes! Once you’ve made the original, this is a fun recipe to play with.
Try substituting:
- Cherry Coke
- Dr Pepper
- Root Beer
Each one changes the flavor slightly while keeping the same easy chocolate cake idea.
Gluten-Free Coca Cola Cake
To make this cake gluten free, substitute a good 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour for the all-purpose flour.
As always, double-check the labels on your remaining ingredients if you’re cooking for someone who needs to avoid gluten.
Dairy-Free Option
You can also adapt this Coca Cola Cake to be dairy free.
Use your favorite dairy-free milk in place of the buttermilk and substitute a dairy-free baking butter for the regular butter.
Keep in mind that substitutions can slightly change the final texture and flavor.
How to Store Coca Cola Cake
Cover leftover cake tightly or transfer individual pieces to an airtight container.
It can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
If you refrigerate it, I recommend letting a slice sit at room temperature for a bit before serving so the cake and chocolate glaze can soften be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Coca Cola Cake FAQs
Does Coca Cola Cake taste like Coke?
A little, but it doesn’t taste like you’re eating a can of soda. The Coca-Cola adds another layer of sweetness and flavor to the chocolate cake. Reducing the Coke in the glaze makes that cola flavor more noticeable.
Why do you put Coca-Cola in chocolate cake?
Coca-Cola adds sweetness, liquid, acidity, and its distinctive caramel-cola flavor to the cake. Combined with cocoa, buttermilk, and butter, it makes a wonderfully moist chocolate cake.
Can I make Coca Cola Cake ahead of time?
Yes. This is a great make-ahead dessert because it stays moist. Bake and glaze the cake, allow it to cool completely, and then cover it until you’re ready to serve.
Do I have to refrigerate Coca Cola Cake?
Not immediately. Store it covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator.
Is Coca Cola Cake the same as Texas Sheet Cake?
They’re similar, especially because both are chocolate cakes traditionally finished with a warm chocolate frosting or glaze. Coca Cola Cake is distinguished by the addition of cola to the cake and usually the frosting or glaze as well.
Coca Cola Cake Recipe (From Scratch)
Equipment
- 1 13×9 Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 oz cola
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 eggs large, room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- 12 oz cola
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted to remove lumps
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Coat 13×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and a dusting of flour
- In a large 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 and butter is melted, stirring occasionally
- Cool slightly
- Add to flour mixture, stirring until moistened
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract until well combined
- Add to large bowl and whisk until well combined
- Pour into prepared baking pan
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Glaze
- While the cake is baking, sift the powdered sugar and set aside
- In a small saucepan, bring cola to a boil, continue cooking until 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 until glaze is smooth
- Pour over warm cake
- Let set until firm
- Store leftovers in airtight container
Nutrition
More Easy Dessert Recipes
If this old-fashioned Coca Cola Cake hits the spot, don’t stop here! Try another easy homemade dessert for your next family dinner, cookout, or potluck.
