Look in any self-respecting Southerner's recipe box and they're going to have at least one recipe that features Coke as an ingredient in a dessert. Granted, they also probably have a couple that feature Sprite and Dr. Pepper, but Coke cake is a fairly common sweet treat in the South and has been since the 1950s (possibly longer, but that's when the first printed recipe was published). You know it's a favorite, too, because not only is the Coca-cola cake recipe in every church cookbook across the South, the Cracker Barrel Coca-cola cake has been been a menu favorite since 1997.
If you don't have a Cracker Barrel near you, this copycat recipe is the next best thing. The copycat Cracker Barrel Coca-cola cake recipe is delightfully chocolatey, with a rich fudge-like chocolate cake topped with a sweet chocolate frosting. It's super easy to put together, even with a homemade cake. The chocolate cake recipe starts with all-purpose flour, white sugar, baking soda, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, vegetable oil, large eggs, unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup buttermilk and a whole cup Coca-cola.
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and spray a 9x13 cake pan with cooking spray. In a bowl of a stand-mixer combine the sugar and flour (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer). In a saucepan, add the Coke, oil, butter and cocoa powder and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add the Coke syrup to the flour mixture and mix on medium-low for about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean; you'll need a total time of about 30 minutes.
For the frosting, combine the butter, cocoa powder and milk in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is just about boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Pour the frosting over the warm cake and spread with a spatula. Let cake cook completely to room temperature, then chill it for one hour in the fridge. You can also sprinkle pecans over the top or serve with vanilla ice cream on the side. The Cracker Barrel Coca-cola cake dessert recipe calls for a sheet cake, but you can also make cupcakes with it, adjusting the bake time.
Watch: Drinking Coffee From A Saucer is an Old Tradition Your Grandparents Probably Did
Copycat Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup coca-cola
- 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a bowl of a stand-mixer combine the sugar and flour and set aside.
- In a saucepan add the Coca-Cola, oil, butter and cocoa powder and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add to the flour mixture and combine on medium-low until light, about 1 minute.
- Add in eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and begin preparing the frosting.
For the Frosting
- In a saucepan over medium heat combine the butter, cocoa powder and milk to just about boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour over the warm cake and spread with a spatula.
- Let cake cook completely to room temperature, then chill for one hour in the fridge. Serve.
