Brower Mitchell: Coca-Cola Cake for the Whole Family

Whenever granddaughter Maggie is visiting, she states her preference for Cracker Barrel whenever we go out for breakfast. Recently as we were waiting for our server, Ken noticed the promotional piece for Coca-Cola cake on the table. He asked if I was familiar with that cake.

“Of course,” I answered as one who prefers Coke to Pepsi. “In fact I used to make that years ago. Since Ken loves almost anything chocolate, I searched my old cooking columns for a Coca-Cola cake recipe.

Sure enough, back in 1997 after a trip to Ole Miss, my alma mater, and dinner with other “Rebels” and our “old journalism professor, I wrote up the visit and classmate Robin’s recipe. At the dinner I opened my big mouth when we were talking about food and beer — Ed, another classmate, owned a bar magazine at the time — and remarked that I didn’t care for chocolate cake.

“Well, dear Sidna,” chided the good professor, “guess what you’re getting for dessert!”

And chocolate cake it was, but this wasn’t just any chocolate cake; this was sinful and made with my favorite beverage — Coca-Cola. I didn’t leave a crumb on my plate.

Robin made her cake from scratch, including buttermilk and mini marshmallows, but I cheated. I started with a devil’s food cake mix. I made the cake according to the directions on the box except instead of one cup water I used one cup Coca-Cola. However, I did make the icing from scratch.

Since I didn’t want Ken and me to eat the whole cake, I took it to the Republican Club meeting that night where it rapidly disappeared. I received lots of compliments, including “this is so moist” and “may I have another piece?”

Coca-Cola Cake

Devil’s food cake mix

1 cup Coca-Cola

Make and bake the cake according to directions on the box except substitute one cup Coke for the one cup water.

Coca-Cola Icing

1 pound powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

6 tablespoons Coca-Cola

1 stick butter

3 tablespoons cocoa

Mix the powdered sugar and the nuts in a large bowl.

Then in a medium saucepan, bring the Coke, butter and cocoa to a boil.

Pour over sugar mixture and stir until well blended.

While cake is warm and still in the pan, pour the icing over the cake as evenly as possible.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTE: I used chopped almonds instead of pecans. Any nut would probably work.

Sidna Brower Mitchell is a HottyToddy.com contributor and former editor of The Daily Mississippian. She can be reached at sbmcooks@aol.com.