Cola Sheet Cake with Hot Fudge Icing

Cola sheet cake is one of those Southern oddities, a recipe that sounds suspect but produces one of the moistest chocolate cakes you’ll ever bake. A full cup of cola goes into the boiled batter alongside cocoa and marshmallows, and the soda’s natural acidity tenderizes the crumb while the marshmallow melts in to add fudge-like richness.

The icing is poured on while both cake and frosting are still hot, which is the move that gives this dessert its signature shiny, slightly crackly fudge top. Wait until either has cooled and the icing won’t sink in or set the same way.

The cola flavor itself doesn’t survive the bake, what you taste is a deeply chocolate cake with a faint caramel undertone from the soda’s vanilla and citrus notes. Diet versions don’t work, the sugar is doing structural work.

Pro Tips

• Use real-deal regular cola, not diet, the sugar matters for the cake’s structure and moisture.
• Stir the marshmallows in off the heat after the boiled mixture cools just slightly, hard boiling can scorch them.
• Pour the icing while it’s still pourable but not bubbling, too hot and it soaks into the cake without setting on top.
• Use pecans for the most authentic Southern version, walnuts work but pecans are the classic choice.

Variations

• Swap cola for root beer or Dr. Pepper for a different soda-cake spin.
• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the cake batter for a deeper chocolate flavor.
• Top with toasted coconut along with the nuts for a German-chocolate-cake feel.