Coca Cola Cake
This fudgy, chocolatey sheet cake is made with real Coca-Cola, tender mini marshmallows, and a warm pecan icing poured over the top while the cake is still hot. The cola adds a faint caramel tang and keeps the crumb incredibly moist, and the whole batter comes together with one saucepan and one bowl. It's an old-school Southern favorite that has been showing up at church suppers, birthday parties, and summer potlucks for decades.
Equipment
- 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan the cola foams up when it heats
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl for the icing
- Wire whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Offset spatula for spreading the icing
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 1/2 cup salted butter 113g, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil 120ml
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 15g
- 1 cup Coca-Cola 240ml, regular, not diet
- 1/2 cup buttermilk 120ml, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 5ml
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows 75g
For the Pecan Icing
- 1/2 cup salted butter 113g
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 15g
- 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola 90ml
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar about 1 pound or 450g
- 1 cup chopped pecans 120g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 5ml
Instructions
- Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with butter or nonstick baking spray, getting into all four corners.
- Add the 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Whisk for about 30 seconds until evenly combined and there are no lumps.
- Add the 1/2 cup of butter pieces, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and 1 cup of Coca-Cola to a 3-quart saucepan. Set over medium heat and whisk often as the butter melts. Bring to a gentle boil, about 4 to 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Carefully pour the hot cola mixture over the flour and sugar and whisk for about 1 minute until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the buttermilk, then add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Sprinkle the baking soda over the batter and whisk it in, then stir in the vanilla.
- Add the mini marshmallows to the batter and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and scrape the bowl clean.
- Slide the pan onto the center rack and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a spot without a big melted marshmallow comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Place the powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl and break up any large lumps. Add the second 1/2 cup of butter, the second 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and the 6 tablespoons of Coca-Cola to your saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter melts and the mixture just comes to a boil. Pour the hot mixture over the powdered sugar and whisk until completely smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Pour the warm icing over the hot cake right away, working from the center outward. Use an offset spatula to gently spread the icing to the edges and corners.
- Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes so the icing can set. Cut it into 4 rows by 5 rows to make 20 squares. Wipe your knife clean between cuts for neat edges, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use regular Coca-Cola: The real sugar in regular cola adds moisture and helps the cake brown, so diet versions will not give the same result.
- Bring the buttermilk and eggs to room temperature: Cold ingredients can cool the batter too fast and make the texture uneven.
- Do not panic about thin batter: This cake has a runny batter by design, and it bakes up tender and soft.
- Ice the cake while it is hot: Warm icing soaks in slightly and creates that fudgy, almost brownie-like top.
- Toast the pecans: Five minutes in a dry skillet brings out their flavor and keeps them crunchy in the icing.
- Check for doneness in the right spot: Melted marshmallows can make a toothpick look wet, so test where you do not see one.
- Use a warm, clean knife: A knife rinsed in hot water and wiped dry slices through the icing without dragging.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze individual squares wrapped tightly for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead: Bake and ice it up to 2 days in advance, cover it well, and it will be moist and ready to serve.
- Variations: Swap in cherry cola for a cherry Coke cake, leave out pecans for nut-free, or fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips for an extra chocolatey version.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SquareCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 130mgFiber: 1gSugar: 47g
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