Sweet Southern Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake
Decadently sweet and perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this moist chocolate Coca-Cola cake is made with the iconic soda, mini marshmallows, and unsweetened cocoa powder for extra rich chocolate flavor. It's so chocolatey, you wouldn't even know that there's soda in it! This has been a longtime Southern classic—and I'm sure it'll become a family favorite in your house too.
Servings 16
Calories 506kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup Coca-Cola
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- ICING
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1/3 cup Coca-Cola
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar 1 pound
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour and sugar together.
- In a medium saucepan, add butter, Coca-Cola, cocoa, and buttermilk and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Pour it over the flour mixture.
- Add baking soda, eggs, vanilla, and mix on low speed until well combined. Add marshmallows and mix until combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Make sure the marshmallows are evenly disbursed and not all in the center.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. (If you go through a marshmallow it will be sticky, so try to find a spot without a marshmallow. The center should be set)
- With 10 minutes left of the cooking time, make the frosting. It should be warm when added to the cake.
- In a saucepan, heat the butter, Coca Cola, and cocoa over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Then add the chopped pecans.
- Once the cake is done, pour the warm frosting over the warm cake. If the frosting has cooled and is too thick, add a tablespoon of Coca Cola and gently heat it so that it can be spread over the top. It will thicken as it cools.
- Let it cool completely before cutting.
Notes
- Try using Cherry Coke, Dr. Pepper, or root beer instead! Just avoid sugar-free or Diet Coke.
- Use high-quality ingredients! Especially when it comes to the cocoa powder. With such a simple flavor profile, you really want the flavors to shine.
- Make sure the frosting is warm and that you add it as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.
