Chocolate Cola Cake

Real cola goes into the batter and the icing of this Southern sheet cake legend. The carbonation adds lift, the sugar adds moisture, and the caramel notes in the cola give the chocolate a depth you can’t get from water or milk alone.

The batter comes together fast. Margarine, oil, cola, and cocoa boil together, then get poured hot over the flour and sugar. Buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, vanilla, and mini marshmallows fold in last. The marshmallows melt into the batter during baking and create pockets of extra gooey sweetness.

The icing goes on while the cake is still warm so it seeps into the surface and sets into a thin, fudgy shell. Margarine, cocoa, and cola boil together, then powdered sugar and chopped pecans get beaten in. Work fast once the icing is ready. It sets up quickly.

Kitchen Tips

• Pour the hot cocoa mixture over the flour immediately. Don’t let it cool. The heat activates the baking soda and starts the rise.
• Use regular cola, not diet. Diet cola lacks the sugar that gives the cake its moisture and the icing its consistency.
• Ice the cake while warm. The warm cake absorbs the icing, creating a moist, fudgy top layer. Cold cake just sits under it.
• Let it cool completely before cutting. The warm icing needs time to set or it smears.

Variations

• Dr Pepper swap: Use Dr Pepper instead of cola for a slightly spicier, cherry-tinted flavor.
• Cherry cola cake: Use cherry cola and add ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice to the batter for a chocolate-cherry version.
• Without marshmallows: Skip the mini marshmallows for a cleaner chocolate crumb if you prefer less sweetness.