Recipe

Coca-Cola Cake

A tender chocolate sheet cake made with Coca-Cola and topped with warm, pour-and-set fudge frosting.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A glossy frosted Coca-Cola chocolate sheet cake in a metal baking pan on a warm kitchen counter, with one slice cut out to show the moist crumb

Coca-Cola cake is one of those old-school desserts that feels a little chaotic on paper, in the best way. You are basically making a chocolate cake with soda, then immediately blanketing it in a hot fudge frosting that soaks in just enough to become one cohesive, snackable situation.

It is super moist, deeply chocolatey, and the frosting sets into that classic fudge top that is sometimes a little crackly, always dangerously snackable. If you need a no-drama dessert for a potluck, birthday, or just a Tuesday that needs help, this is your cake.

Measured ingredients for Coca-Cola cake on a kitchen counter, including flour, sugar, cocoa powder, buttermilk, eggs, butter, and an opened bottle of Coca-Cola

Why It Works

Moist crumb without fuss: Coca-Cola adds sweetness and acidity, which helps the cake bake up tender and flavorful.
Big chocolate flavor: Cocoa in both the cake and frosting gives you that nostalgic, bakery-style chocolate punch.
The frosting is the trick: You pour it on warm so it melts into the top layer, then sets like soft fudge.
Sheet cake energy: Easy to slice, easy to serve, and it feeds a crowd without requiring fancy decorating skills.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temperature: Store the cake tightly covered for up to 2 days. The frosting helps protect the cake from drying out.

Refrigerator: Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let slices sit at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes before serving for the softest texture.

Freezer: Freeze slices on a sheet pan until firm, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours.

Individually wrapped slices of chocolate sheet cake placed in a labeled freezer bag on a kitchen counter

Common Questions

Does Coca-Cola cake taste like soda?

Not really. It tastes like a rich chocolate cake with a deeper caramel note in the background. The Coke mostly boosts sweetness and adds liquid for a super moist crumb.

Can I use Diet Coke?

I do not recommend it here. The sugar matters for both flavor and texture. If you want a swap, use regular Coke or another regular cola.

Do I have to use buttermilk?

Buttermilk gives the cake that tender, classic crumb. In a pinch, mix 1/2 cup milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit 5 minutes, then use.

Why do you pour the frosting on while it is warm?

Warm frosting spreads itself and slightly melts into the top of the cake, which is exactly how you get that signature fudgy layer that sets up smooth and shiny.

Can I bake this in a 9x13 pan?

Yes. The cake will be a bit thicker and may need a few extra minutes. Start checking around 30 minutes and pull it when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

How do I cut it for the serving size?

For 20 pieces, slice it into a 4 by 5 grid. For bigger squares, go for 16.

Is this nut-free?

It can be. Just skip the pecans and you are good.

Warm chocolate frosting being poured from a saucepan over a freshly baked chocolate sheet cake in a baking pan

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Rimmed sheet pan (about 13x18-inch) or 9x13-inch baking pan
Medium saucepan
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Wire rack (helpful, optional)

I love recipes like this because they remind me why I skipped the “perfect” path and chased practical kitchen wins instead. Coca-Cola cake is not precious. It is fast, forgiving, and it feeds people. The first time I made it, I was convinced the hot frosting thing was a prank. Then it cooled into that glossy fudge-top layer and I stood there eating the corner pieces like a raccoon guarding treasure. If you are the kind of person who believes the best bites are the crispy edges and the extra-frosted corners, welcome. You are among friends.

A home cook's hands slicing a frosted chocolate sheet cake into squares in the baking pan on a kitchen counter

Coca-Cola Cake

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings 16 to 20 squares

Ingredients

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 cup Coca-Cola (regular)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the warm fudge frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
6 tablespoons Coca-Cola (regular)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
Pinch of salt
Optional: 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Butter and cocoa powder melting together in a saucepan on a stovetop, with a whisk resting nearby

Instructions

Make the cake

Prep your pan and oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a rimmed sheet pan (about 13x18-inch) and, if you want zero sticking anxiety, line it with parchment and grease the parchment too.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup cocoa powder.
Boil the Coke and butter. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup Coca-Cola and 1 cup butter to a gentle boil, whisking so the butter melts evenly.
Combine. Pour the hot cola mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and glossy.
Finish the batter. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Whisk it up and add it right away, then whisk the full batter until fully combined. The batter will be thin. That is correct.
Bake. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 22 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and the center springs back lightly. Optional extra certainty: the center is usually done around 200 to 205°F.

Chocolate cake batter being poured into a greased sheet pan on a kitchen counter

Make the warm frosting

Start the fudge base. While the cake bakes, melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons cocoa powder until smooth.
Add cola. Whisk in 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn off heat.
Sweeten and season. Whisk in vanilla, a pinch of salt, then add powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and pourable. If it gets too thick, add a teaspoon or two more Coke. If it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Frost it warm. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm frosting over the hot cake. Use a spatula to nudge it into the corners. Sprinkle pecans on top if using.
Cool and slice. Let cool at least 30 to 45 minutes to set before slicing. If you cannot wait, I respect that. Just know the first pieces will be extra gooey.

A freshly frosted Coca-Cola chocolate sheet cake cooling in the baking pan on a wire rack

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Coca-Cola Cake

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Fudgy Chocolate Sheet Cake

Vanilla Sheet Cake with Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Pound Cake

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Storage Tips

Common Questions

Does Coca-Cola cake taste like soda?

Can I use Diet Coke?

Do I have to use buttermilk?

Why do you pour the frosting on while it is warm?

Can I bake this in a 9x13 pan?

How do I cut it for the serving size?

Is this nut-free?

Coca-Cola Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

For the warm fudge frosting

Instructions

Make the cake

Make the warm frosting