Cooking Lesson #1008: Retro Coca-Cola Cake

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Soft drinks or flavored sodas gained in popularity in America in the late 1800s. The undeniable hero was Coca-Cola. Aside from being a damn good beverage it had many uses… cleaning toilet bowls and chrome bumpers, being two of its most iconic uses.
 
Coca-Cola Company has been based in Atlanta for years, so it makes good sense that this cake has become a true Southern classic. It’s also a beloved dessert at Disneyland California Pavilion since we added to the menu in the late 1980’s
 
There is no great alternative to a chocolate Coca-Cola cake because Coke and chocolate are a match made in cake heaven. The result is a moist and tender cake with rich cocoa flavors topped with a thin chocolate frosting. The Coke complements and deepens the chocolate flavor, and the carbonation in the soda acts as a leavening agent in the cake raising it to great heights. The shiny, crackly glaze, also flavored with another hit of Coke, is the perfect contrast to the fudgy, moist dark interior.
 
A couple of things to consider when making Coca-Cola Cake: only use natural cocoa (Hershey’s or Guittard) in this recipe, not Dutch-processed. Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch-processed and is needed to react with the baking soda to create the best rise.
 
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra-decadent treat.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  60 minutes
Yield:  12 servings / 1 (9x13-inch) cake
 
Ingredients 
For the cake
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) can Coca-Cola (not Zero or Diet)
2-sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup room temperature sour cream
2 large room temperature eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
For the icing
1 (12-ounce) can Coca-Cola
1 stick (4 ounces) cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
Directions
To make the cake

1. Preheat an oven to 350° F.
2. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
3. To bloom the Coke and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, combine the Coke, butter and cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often to make sure it doesn’t boil over, until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well-combined, about 7 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
5. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
6. Pour the warm Coke mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until no dry streaks remain.
7. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
8. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, spreading it into an even layer. Bake the cake until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 28 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the baking pan on a wire rack while preparing the frosting.

To make the icing

1. In a large saucepan, bring the Coke to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, undisturbed, until the Coke has reduced to 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the butter and cocoa to the reduced cola and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the butter is melted, and the cocoa is thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the powdered sugar and salt and whisk until smooth.
4. Immediately pour the frosting over the warm cake, spreading it into an even layer.
5. Let the frosted cake rest until cooled to room temperature and the frosting is fully set, about 2 hours.
6. Slice and serve.

ChefSecret: Spreading frosting over a hot cake may seem a bit unusual, but the heat allows it to spread easily over the cake’s surface and gives the frosting a shiny sheen. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Quip of the Day:  A man comes home from the grocery store with a 12 pack of Coca Cola and throws a can at his friend.
Friend: What the hell? What was that for?!
Man: Relax… it’s only a soft drink.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
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