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Classic Cakes: 24 Easy Cake Recipes to Enjoy Year-Round
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Chocolate Cola Cake
(41 Votes)
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- SERVES
- 15
- COOK TIME
- 35 Min
Got the baking bug? Cure it with this easy recipe for chocolate cake with a secret ingredient! Okay, we'll let the secret out. It's one of the world's most popular soft drink flavors. Try our Chocolate Cola Cake for guaranteed raves!
What You'll Need
- 1 (16.5-ounce) package devil's food cake mix
- 1 (4-serving-size) package chocolate instant pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cups cola, divided (See Notes)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 (16-ounce) package confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
What to Do
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
-
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and oil until blended. Gradually add 1-1/4 cups cola. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes; pour batter into prepared baking dish.
-
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.
-
In a large saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, and remaining cola; cook over medium heat until butter melts, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat; stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla, then the pecans.
- Spread warm frosting over top of warm cake; cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- This cake is also great made with cherry-flavored cola!
- If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out our free eBook, Classic Cakes: 24 Easy Cake Recipes to Enjoy Year-Round!
- For more to-die-for cake recipes, be sure to check out our collection page!
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rac7431 2877525
Feb 25, 2019
I got this 'upsizer' recipe for cakes from the food editor in our newspaper over a year ago and posted it somewhere before. Here it is. 1 1/2 C. Flour, 1 C. sugar , 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix well and store in sealed container. To increase the cake size to an 18.25 oz. add 3 oz. (6 TBS.) to cake mix. Don't make any other changes in the recipe. To make cholate increase, in another container, use same recipe except for the flour. Omit 6 TBS. of flour and add 6 TBS. cocoa powder. I have both on hand at all times because I make cakes for elderly ladies luncheons. But remember that you DO NOT MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGES IN THE RECIPE. NO EXTRA EGG, WATER, OIL, ETC.
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achumley0003 3170634
Oct 31, 2017
I have heard of cakes that use cola, but I have never tried one before. This seems like it would be a very rich and moist chocolate cake. This is definitely something that I will make and I may actually make it for my youngest birthday coming up next month.
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ejJC
Sep 19, 2014
18 1/4 oz cake mixes are no longer available in our stores. What recommendations do you have to accomodate either a 15.25 or the more common 16.5 oz mixes?
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terrichis 2379729
Sep 19, 2014
Go to jillcataldo.com. Get the instructions for "3-oz cake mix upsizer". I have used it several times with great success.
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ejJC
Sep 19, 2014
Recipes specify cake mix size which is no longer available in our stores. What recommendations do you have for adjusting ingredients to accomodate the new 15.25 or the more common 16.5 oz sizes?
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Test Kitchen Team
Sep 22, 2014
Hi there - Thank you for your comment! We have gone ahead and updated the recipe to accommodate to the new cake mix sizes. Enjoy!
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ntaylorb 4131670
Aug 06, 2014
I made the cake the same day I saw the recipe, it sounded and looked really good. I made a good moist cake, nothing to write home about, but ok. The frosting was another story. Too sweet for me. Saw no need for the fuss of cooking it on the stove top. Same results as if you just mixed the ingred.
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normaupdegraff 1780725
Mar 03, 2014
The remaining cola for frosting is 1/2 cup. Entirely too much it uses a lot more powdered sugar than 16 oz. What's the problem?
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paws
Nov 20, 2013
How much cola do you put in the cake frosting?
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Test Kitchen Team
Nov 21, 2013
Thank you for your question. You'll notice in the ingredients it calls for 1 3/4 cups cola, divided. In step 2, it says to use 1 1/4 cup cola for the batter and in step 4 it says to use the remaining cola for the frosting.
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Grandma Karen
Nov 20, 2013
Best chocolate cake ever. My husband kept saying how light it was. So incredibly tasty. We ate way too much of it but ooh, it was so good!!!
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amz58 0721147
Nov 05, 2013
Does anyone have a recipe for a chocolate cake using zucchini squash. My mother used to make it but don't have her recipes. Thanks
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billywaynefields 5517596
Nov 03, 2013
Just wanted to know if anyone has made this cake using Dr Pepper? Results?
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marionsudac66 1161584
Nov 02, 2013
can you use diet coke in this recipe
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jsmbear1999 9015449
Feb 18, 2015
When I read this question, it made me chuckle. With all the calories and sweetness of the cake (as is) why worry about using Diet Cola? There isn't that much of the liquid in it.
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Scarlett Vale
Sep 24, 2015
Maybe it's all she has in the house, and she doesn't want to have to purchase regular cola just for this recipe?
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loved2be 4560406
Oct 26, 2013
This cake was delicious!!! Moist and looks like the recipe. Will try this over the holidays. Thanks......
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loved2be 4560406
Oct 26, 2013
Hey I made this cake and it was delicious!!!! It looks like the picture on the recipe. Good eats...... thx
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Vicki51
Oct 25, 2013
THIS CAKE IS HORRIBLE ,SICKLY SWEET! I HAVE A MAJOR SWEET TOOTH AND NO ONE CAN EAT IT THIS,WHAT A WASTE OF EXPENSIVE PECANS! IN FACT NOT SURE I'LL EVER MAKE A CAKE ON THIS SITE! IT'S THAT BAD,I THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO AJUST THIS RECIPE. IF I COULD HAVE GIVEN IT A O I WOULD HAVE.
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dark26317 7402667
Nov 02, 2013
To major sweet tooth. See if you can follow these directions. Stay off of the internet. Your are way too stupid and ignorant to use it. People like you need to stick their head in the oven for one hour at 500 degrees. It would be an improvement. Miserable.
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swalt6 0672167
Oct 21, 2013
I made the cake & frosting as instructed. It said to spread the frosting, it was so thin that I poured it on. When it said to use 1 3/4 cups of cola , I 1/4 in the cake and the rest in the frosting I thought that sounded like why to much liquid for two cups of powdered sugar. Is the recipe correct?
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rspratt09 8303649
Oct 16, 2013
I want to try it, it sounds delicious.
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celilaholton 7256936
Oct 16, 2013
I am thrilled with this recipe. Can't wait to bake it and share with my Christian Women's Fellowship Group.
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Hiromime 0028132
Oct 15, 2013
Is it ok to use cola that has gone flat?
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Test Kitchen Team
Oct 16, 2013
Although the soda we used was not flat, we see no reason why it would not work. Enjoy!
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Member 7204730
Oct 15, 2013
16 oz of conf sugar is 2 cups. For those who are wondering.
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s0uthard 9372146
Oct 15, 2013
I made this cake for the first time last week end for a family gathering. It was SO moist and the frosting is very rich....fudge like! Everyone LOVED it! Will definately make this cake again!!! : )
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A Baker
Oct 15, 2013
can you use diet soda?
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Test Kitchen Team
Oct 15, 2013
Yes you can! If you watch the video above, you will see that Howard discusses that as an option. Enjoy!
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Member 1515011
Oct 15, 2013
The diet soda will certainly make up for 16 oz. of confectioner's sugar.
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Pegaroo
Apr 12, 2013
This was a delicious cake and very moist! The frosting was very rich so a little goes a long way. I'll be making this one again for sure!
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oknovotny 4913134
Mar 31, 2013
Has anyone used Dr.Pepper in the chocolate cola cake?
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wiseone2453 5070906
Mar 17, 2013
Id like to know the measurments (in cups) of conf. sugar. I have my conf. sugar in a lg glass container.
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oknovotny 4913134
Mar 31, 2013
Have you even used Dr. Pepper in the chocolate cola cake?
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jamtredway 2467025
Mar 25, 2012
I have made this for years..it is one of my family favorite cakes
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need2know
Mar 13, 2012
If you choose to add milk instead of cola, you will have to add sugar!
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clcbud 9820833
Jun 17, 2012
The recipe is using a box mix, extra sugar is not needed.
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beachsquirrel 8716971
Feb 20, 2012
Absolutely delicious! Don't know that the cola adds much of anything-but whatever. I'll try it next time with milk-I think the cola is just a gimmick!
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clcbud 9820833
Jun 17, 2012
If you replace the liquid with coffee in chocolate cakes the taste is so much better.
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ashleyd8402
Sep 28, 2011
This turned out awesome. It definitely needs to bake longer than stated. I'm not at a high altitude and it needed a solid 40 minutes for me. I made it without pecans and I cut back on the powdered sugar in the frosting. Then I had a glaze and some of it dripped down the sides of the cake and pooled a bit on the bottom. It was just fabulous. My hubby loved it too. I will definitely be making it again.
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hillshill3 8123441
Sep 26, 2011
Really like some of your receipes BUT wish you'd show at what altitude these receipes are listed for, so that those of us at higher altitudes can make adjustments. Not try and find that we need to make adjustments to get great results. Such as the recipe for Chocolate Cola Cake.
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babyuggie 3790446
May 28, 2012
That is a viable question, but for those of us who do not live in higher altitudes and submit recipes, how are we supposed to know? My daughter lives in Denver and I asked her how she dealt with these issues. She told me it makes a miniscule bit of difference (for her).
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