Cracker Barrel Coca Cola Cake Recipe
This Chocolate Coca-Cola cake features moist chocolate topped with a fudgy chocolate Coca-Cola Frosting. The frosting is so good you'll want to eat it by the spoonful!
I went to college right near a Cracker Barrell and loved ordering their Chicken and Dumplings with Coca-Cola Cake for dessert. It is the moistest chocolate cake with a super rich and fudgy frosting. It is probably my favorite restaurant dessert. Shhh, don't tell Taco Bell's Cinnabon Delights or Applebee's Blondie that I'm cheating on them!
Since I graduated college, we have no excuse to drive 2 hours to visit Cracker Barrel, so here is my best copycat recipe. It tastes just like the real thing and is perfect for birthdays. It's also great for Sunday supper, potlucks, and reunions.
❤️Why I Love This Recipe❤️
- Coca-Cola x 2: The Cola in the batter AND frosting give it that little something extra you can't put your finger on. It also helps the cake rise and be super light and fluffy.
- Moist cake: Thanks to buttermilk and oil, this cake comes out super moist every time.
- Fudgy Frosting: The frosting tastes like you're eating a piece of chocolate fudge. SO good!
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Coca-Cola: For best results, use regular, not zero-sugar or diet soda.
- Any dark soda like Pepsi, Root Beer, or even Dr. Pepper would be a good substitute if you don't like Coke.
- Buttermilk: You can make your own buttermilk with a ratio of 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of either lemon juice or vinegar. Stir it up and leave it sit while you gather the rest of your ingredients.
- Flour: Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup. Then level with a knife.
- Dipping the cup into your flour will result in too much, which leads to a dry, crumbly cake.
- Baking Powder: Replace your baking powder every 6-12 months to ensure it works correctly.
- Eggs: Bring eggs to room temperature to ensure everything comes together smoothly. I just set them on the counter for 30-60 minutes before baking.
Sprinkle of Science
I used Hershey Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder. Avoid Dutch Processed Cocoa, which requires an acidic ingredient like baking powder to rise.
How To Make Cracker Barrel's Chocolate Cola Cake
- Wet Ingredients: Bring butter, soda, and oil to a boil.
- Stir in flour and sugar.
- Remove from heat: Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Bake: Bake for around 30 minutes.
- Make Frosting: Cream butter and cocoa powder. Stir in Coca-Cola, vanilla, and syrup. Gradually add powdered sugar.
❓FAQs❓
No, for the best flavor and texture, use regular Coca-Cola.
️Krystle's Tips️
- Easy Cleanup: Line your pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper to ensure it doesn't stick.
- Don't overmix: Mix just until the flour just disappears. Overmixing leads to a tough, dense cake.
- Don't Overbake: Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It is okay if it has a few moist crumbs.
- Add Frosting While Cake Is Warm: It sets up quickly. Pour over while it's still warm so melts into the cake.
- Semi-Homemade Hack: Use a box cake mix but substitute Coca-Cola in place of the water called for.
Serving Suggestion
Serve with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge for an extra decadent treat.
More Chocolate Desserts To Try
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📖 Recipe
Copycat Cracker Barrel Coca Cola Cake
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Regular Coca-Cola
- 2 cups White Sugar
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 Eggs
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ cup Buttermilk or ½ cup Milk and 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla
For the Frosting
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- ½ cup Softened Butter
- ¼ cup Coca-Cola
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ¼ cup Chocolate Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
For the Cake
- Butter and flour a 13 x 9 inch sheet cake pan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium saucepan combine butter, soda and oil. Bring to boil.
- In a medium bowl, stir flour and sugar until combined. Add to sauce pan, stir.
- Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, cocoa powder, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Pour in greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the Frosting
- In a large bowl cream butter and cocoa powder.
- Stir in cola, chocolate syrup, and vanilla.
- Gradually beat in powdered sugar.
- Frost cake while it is still warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
-
- Coca-Cola: For best results, use regular, not zero-sugar or diet soda.
- Flour: Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup. Then level with a knife.
- Cocoa Powder: I used Hershey Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder. Avoid Dutch Processed Cocoa, which requires an acidic ingredient like baking powder to rise.
- Eggs: Bring eggs to room temperature to ensure everything comes together smoothly. I just set them on the counter for 30-60 minutes before baking.
- Easy Cleanup: Line your pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper to ensure it doesn't stick.
- Don't overmix: Mix just until the flour just disappears. Overmixing leads to a tough, dense cake.
- Don't Overbake: Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It is okay if it has a few moist crumbs.
- Add Frosting While Cake Is Warm: It sets up quickly. Pour over while it's still warm so melts into the cake.
Nutrition
While Cracker Barrel may have made this cake famous, Coke has been added to cakes since the early 1900's at least, especially in the Southern U.S. My grandmother and mother added Coke or coke syrup to cakes back in the 60's. Coke was added to give chocolate cakes better flavor, especially since Vanilla was not always readily available or too expensive for poor folks and the sweetness of coke or coke syrup cut the amount of sugar required in a cake. Homemade root beer was added when coke was not available. Sorry but I don't buy that Cracker Barrel asked Coke to come up with a cake recipe. Cracker Barrel has always come up with their own recipes based on common Southern recipes. Since coke was already being added to cakes in the south, they would have had no problem using existing recipes.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your expertise with us Suze!
This is really hard to resist! Everyone at my house loved it!
What!? This sounds so good and interesting!
Love the texture! I can't believe that it's made with Coca Cola.
YUM!!! I love this cake delicious version!!!
I'm very interested in this one! I've made steak with Coke, but I've never tried baking with it before.
Can I use Dr Pepper instead?
Hi Abby,
This should be fine, just be sure to use regular not sugar free. You may also like our Dr. Pepper Cake: https://www.bakingbeauty.net/dr-pepper-cake/
What would happen if you used diet cola instead of regular coke?
Hi Sally!
I've only tried the recipe as written, but I don't see why that wouldn't work. Please let us know if you try it!
The 1/2 cup vegetable oil, but not in the direction
Thanks for pointing that out Cheri. I've updated the recipe! 🙂
Descendant! You totally rock that cake with Cola! love it! 🙂
I need a slice of this now! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
That is one amazing cake!
looks so good
Thanks so much Michal!
Isn't Cracker Barrel the best? This cake looks yummy too! Pinned it! Stopping by from Artsy Fartsy Corner Link Party:)
Danielle @ Blissful & Domestic
Creating a Beautiful Life on Less
http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com
It totally is when you're in the mood for down home cooking.
Thanks for pinning Danielle.
This sounds really good!
Thank you Natalye!
it looks like a yummy cake!
Thank you Dina!