Turn a famous Southern cola into a rich, moist, chocolate cake.

Yes, we mean that.

They might not know why they love it, but the Coca-Cola flavor ensures that they will.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake on a cake plate with a slice taken out

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Ingredients for Coca-Cola Cake

You might have the ingredients for this cake already sitting in your pantry.

Want to dress this cake up for a fancy occasion?

Freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months, and frost before serving.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake ingredients

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Ingredients

Frosting:

4cupsCoca-Cola

10Tbsp.unsaltedbutter, room temperature

10 Tbsp.

The liquid will be thick and syrupy.

Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake boiling down the syrup for the frosting

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

While the Coca-Cola for the Frosting is boiling, make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Mix briefly to combine.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake pans lined with parchment paper

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Divide batter evenly among cake pans.

Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before removing from pans, about 1 hour.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake dry ingredients in the stand mixer

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Prepare Frosting:

In a clean bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until well combined.

Add powdered sugar and salt and beat on low until incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4 minutes until shiny and satiny.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake adding the butter to the dry ingredients for the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Use a rubber spatula to scrape the room temperature Coca-Cola syrup into the frosting.

Beat for another 2 minutes until well incorporated.

Assemble Cake:

Place one cake layer on a cake plate.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake whisking together the wet ingredients for the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Spread 1/2 cup frosting evenly across the surface.

Add the second cake layer.

Take 1 cup of frosting and spread it evenly over the entire cake.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake adding the wet ingredients to the cake batter

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Buying a whole pint or quart of buttermilk for just 1/2 cup might not seem worth it.

To substitute, thin sour cream or yogurt with a spoon or two of water or milk until pourable.

Rich, moist cakes tend to incorporate oil.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake batter in pans before baking

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

These cakes have a lighter, more even crumb, and stay fresh longer.

Not to mention they can be eaten straight out of the fridge.

So why add butter?

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake in pans after baking

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

The flavor of butter just can’t be beat.

Cakes that utilize both are some of the tastiest.

While this is recommended, it isn’t a must if you’re running low on time.

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake beating together the butter and cream cheese for the frosting

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake adding the powdered sugar to the frosting

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake after beating the frosting until smooth

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake adding the syrup to the frosting

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake after the syrup has been mixed in to the frosting

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake one layer on a cake plate

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake spreading the frosting across the first cake layer

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake adding the second cake layer

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake adding frosting to the top of the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Coca Cola Cake finishing the frosting on the cake

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox