Here are the facts:
I had grand plans to make a Dr Pepper cake for a certain cute red headed boy for his birthday.
I had these grand plans because I wanted to impress this certain boy with my ninja-like baking skills.
I found a book. I found a recipe. I bought Dr. Pepper. I whipped up the batter. I threw together the frosting. I married the cake and frosting.
Aaaaand…
Gross. Icky. Yuck. Creepy moist. Too sweet. Thumbs down. Not good. Not cute. Not any way to celebrate a birthday.
Maybe the addition of marshmallows should have been a red flag.
I had to go with the ‘it’s the thought that counts’ defense… sort of unacceptable when your name is Joy the (freaking) Baker.
Now you know the facts. Now maybe you can help.
What’s your favorite soda pop cake recipe? I’ve got to redeem myself. Any suggestions?
165 Responses
I have never had a root beer or coke or seven Up cake, and they sound good!
My neighbor in Carrollton, Georgia brought us an orange slice cake when we moved into the neighborhood. She had used a regular yellow cake ( any kind of cake would do fine) and then cut those orange slice candies with scissors she dipped into flour. I don’t remember what icing was used!! It really didn’t need icing! It was kind of her!! Other neighbors brought us homemade preserves, pickles, pickled okra, bouquets of flowers and ears of just picked corn!! It was the only time any neighbors welcomed us like this!!
I got onto this site trying to find a cake icing that is not so sweet. The canned icings are just icky, make our teeth shudder!!! I had to scrape off some Duncan Hines icing before we could eat the cake today, and the boxed cake was too sweet too, won’t make it again. Recently also cut down on salt, or did away with it entirely on some food, and lost lost 7 pounds in 10 days, know it was not fat but water!!!Whatever, my pants fit better!!! Cheers!
Well my favorite is Coca- Cola Cake. Cracker Barrel makes it, it’s our family fav.
I know that this is probably wayyyy late but I hear amazing things about the rootbeer bundt cake (which can obviously be dubbed into cuppies or I imagine a layer cake?) in the Baked book. For next time. It’s the thought that counts, dammit. Screw anyone who says differently ;)
https://www.odlums.ie/index.php?page=chocolate-cola-cake
This cake is delicious i love it!!
Here is my grandmas recipe, this is my dad’s and hubbys FAVORITE cake in the whole world it’s similar to a soda pop cake.
1 box white cake mix (or a from scratch white cake)
1 box strawberry Jello
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 Tub of Cool Whip
Bake cake. Make Jello but DO not refridgerate or let set. Poke holes all over cake with large serving fork or wooden spoon. Spoon liquid Jello mix all over cake maybe half the jello liquid. Place cake in fridge for at least a couple hours until cake is cooled. Make instant Pudding, mix in half the tub of cool whip, spread on top of cake and put back into fridge. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. Refridergate leftovers – if there are any!! It’s the yummies summer cake ever!! The Best!
Aww so sorry it didn’t work out!!
I have a Dr Pepper cake recipe that does not include marshmallows. Yep = the marshmallow addition is a random one. Hmmmmmm.
I like the recipe for root beer flavored bunt cake from the book “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.” I made it once and it turned out meh, then made it again with some alterations: the recipe calls for a chocolate frosting on top, but that made the thing alltogether too chocolate-tasting. I made with a very vanilla-flavored frosting instead, to get a root beer float kind of effect. Also, I added about 1/2 tsp root beer flavored extract that I got from a cooking supply store – I think it usually is for flavoring candy, it was the most wee bottle of anything I’ve ever bought. This intensified the root beer flavor quite a bit, which was a little too subtle the first time I made it. Result — AMAZING. Kinda weird, but amazing. Oh, and I made it in an octopus cakepan: I think that helped with its general awesomeness. https://www.flickr.com/photos/75923467@N00/3754695969/
Joy, I made this exact same recipe and was very disappointed too. Tasted like a very bland chocolate cake. My sympathies.
I have never tried a soda cake recipe, but I’m sure the cake doctors cook books would have one.. have you tried any of their recipes?
Joy!I would love to have this recipe!
Hi Joy! I am from North Carolina and have a great recipe for Orange Crush Pound Cake (we do love our pound cake here!!). It’s terrific – you put a cup of Orange crush in the batter, and then once the cake is cooled, you glaze it with powdered sugar mixed with more Orange Crush. Or Sunkist, whatever you like. Makes a good base for strawberry shortcake, too.
best soda-pop recipe is… yours. the root beer cake is AWESOME! i have made it a few times… i have to admit that in order for the chocolate not to over power the root beer i use more root beer than you did… and less chocolate in the frosting. but it’s awesome. your blog is the bomb! seriously. love it!
Aww, too bad it didnt work out! While I do like the idea of a cake tasting of Dr.Pepper, the thought of the icky-sweet soda pop AND marshmallows makes my teeth feel like they wanna get up and run, haha. ;P
I’m sure your b-day boy appreciated the effort and is already well impressed though! ;)
I know there’s a lot of cakes with different sodas in germany… I believe Ive tried Sprite and Fanta cakes before and they were quite nice actually. The difference to American cakes would be though that theyre probably not quite as sweet, which in this case particularly could be very good. And usually they would be drier like stirred cakes baked in a springform-pan. So nothing like that brownie up there but maybe worth a try…
I stick with the Cook’s Illustrated approach: all soda based cakes that they tested, save 1 (a very particular 7up cake that they tested every which way from Sunday to get the right recipe), was — to paraphrase — horrible, awful, and just plain ick.
https://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/dr-pepper-chocolate-cake/
1 can of Diet Cream soda and 1 box of funfetti cake mix. Nothing else and bake according to directions on box. Delicious!
Devils Food or some kind of chocolate cake mix, can of cherry coke or cherry pepsi, 2 eggs. bake according to the box. Killer Black Forest Cake
I made a Dr. Pepper cake for my daughter’s 18th Birthday, she loves Dr.Pepper. But we were not impressed with the cake. It didn’t have marshmallows in it. It was okay, just a different chocolate style cake but she said a waste of Dr. Pepper she could have drank instead. lol
I have had both Coke cake and 7-Up cake and they were both good. The Dr. Pepper one was a huge disappointment. That’s why we keep baking to try different combo nations of what works and what doesn’t,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,so keep baking.
I have a Tomato Soup Spice Cake recipe that is delicious!
ooooh! that sounds good!
I had the same problem with a coke cake I made recently! It was okay. I think it would be a lot better with some salt. Like, a teaspoon of salt. One teaspoon for the cake; one teaspoon for the icing. (Okay, that might be overdoing it, but it definitely needed salt.)
If you finally find the “perfect” cola-cake, I hope you publish it. I might trust the recipe from the Pioneer Woman’s blog…she has great recipes. Thanks, Ree.
I like Nigella Lawson’s Coca-Cola cake from her Domestic Goddess cookbook. No marshmallows in the frosting there.
I don’t have a recipe for you. I just think you are freaking hilarious and I love your blog.
I love coca-cola cake and have been dying to try the root beer cake from Baked.
Too bad, I have Dr. pepper cake bookmarked, thanks for the heads up!
Try out the Guiness cupcakes on my website. I always win the boys over with them! My husband isn’t a big cake fan but loves them!
https://foodfondness.blogspot.com/search/label/beer
They have a tasty cream cheese glaze as well. That may swoon him enough to forget about your Dr Pepper mishap. ;)
Omg! Previous post by Kate is right, pioneer woman’s apple dumplings are fantastic!
Have you tried the Pioneer Woman’s apple dumplings…made with Mountain Dew? Not technically a cake, but they are a mindblower. https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/apple_dumplings/
Awww – sorry that did not turn out because it is totally delicious and my son who loves Dr Pepper could eat this whole cake at once if I’d let him. It’s the only “pop” cake I’ve ever made that I can remember.
If you decide to try some other pop stuff, I have a great recipe for Root Beer Fudge and Dr. Pepper Dip (with chipped beef).
My mom bakes a 7up cake. But I’m not much of a pop drinker and avoid that stuff like the plague.
Ummm, maybe a RockStar cake? That would really give people something to talk about, and the kick would be fun, too. {Maybe?!}
I have a great recipe for a guinness cake.. and a fabulous pistachio cake that uses sprite! I’m bummed because I was going to try and make a Dr.Pepper cake soon.. looks like I’ll have to try out a different recipe! If you want either recipe feel free to email me because I haven’t posted them on my blog yet.. sweetebakes@gmail.com
Hi Joy,
Maybe you’ll like this cake. I love coconut and the smell just reminds me of summer! Enjoy:
https://creampuffsinvenice.ca/2007/06/22/coconut-my-love/
Oh yea! If you do make this, could you pleaseeeeeee put it on the blog?
Thanks so much,
Meena, age 15
pretty pretty cake! thanks for the suggestion meena! i’ll totally blog this if i make it!
hahaha here’s my recipe for you!!
https://kuynell.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/fernando-cupcakes/
is an awesome cake, so so rich!
good luck joy!
xo!
Girl!!! marshmallows in a cake batter?? Really?? that just couldn’t turn out good. It sucks extra bad when you are baking something special for someone. You can’t just toss it in the garbage and pretend it never happened. I have to agree that the Dr Pepper cake from Tasty Kitchen is the bomb! I used Cherry Dr Pepper and it turned out fabulous! I love you and your blog…so keep up the good work…and thanks for sharing your flops too! Glad I’m not the only one. :)
https://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/dr-pepper-chocolate-cake/
Also in the “comes in a can but isn’t soda” category is the Chocolate Stout Cake from King Arthur Flour: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2009/02/26/chocolate-stout-cake/
I’ve had this recipe baked as cupcakes and it is killer good.
If it helps, my first (and so far only) foray into baking with pop was the Coca-Cola cake I made using a friend’s family recipe. Tooth-achingly sweet, disappointing texture, and not nearly enough flavor. Ah, well.
Thanks for your honesty in labeling this cake a ‘flop’.
In my household our holiday staple is the 7-up cake. For years I thought it was my dad’s original recipe but found out about 10 years ago he wasn’t as unique as I thought. But the 7-up does give the traditional pound cake a great citrus taste.
I have the same Sweets cookbook (which I love) and have been meaning to try the Dr. Pepper cake recipe for some time now. I’m glad you saved me the trouble!!! It’s disappointing to hear that it was no good, it looks so yummy in the book!!
I make white chocolate cupcakes with cream soda and white chocolate ganache. They are pretty much fantastic and I will try and rustle up the recipe for you joy!
I’ve found that just taking a cake mix and dumping a can of Dr. Pepper in with nothing else, then baking to box directions works perfectly!
I’m interested to know if the Dr. Pepper cake can be salvaged. Perhaps if you cut back on the sugar since the soda is so sweet on it’s on?
Ha! Reminds me of the time I tried to substitute sugar with Splenda for my pumpkin bread. Epic. Fail. My dad ate it anyway just to be nice. I chunked the two loaves (after his taste test) and haven’t attempted it again since.
Why didn’t I just follow the recipe and use real sugar???? Who cares about the calorie count anyway, right? : )
I just had this sort of adventure this weekend! I made chocolate root beer hi-hats, in miniature form! The bottom cake was standard (but delicious) chocolate cupcake, the top was 7-minute frosting flavored with a good amount of root beer concentrate, and then dipped in chocolate. I made these for a party and they were a HUGE hit! Maybe for Dr. Pepper, you could get the concentrate/syrup that people put into soda fountains?
Sorry to hear the Dr Pepper cake didn’t work out — I was looking forward to hearing how it worked out.
I have to second the recommendations for both the Root Beer cake from Baked and the Chocolate-Guiness cake. Both are most and reliable. Good luck :-)
Hi Joy,
where did you get that tree stump trivet? i love it so much.
Everybody has an off day in the kitchen. You were trying a new recipe, with new ingredients; don’t be so hard on yourself.
Unfortunately I can’t help with the cake recipes. I have only made biscuits with soda, never a cake with it. Can you impress a certain red-haired boy with another sweet desert?
This Pistachio 7Up cake was simple and fantastic when I made it a few years back. You could probably substitute your favorite white cake recipe for the boxed mix? And maybe real whipped cream for the Cool Whip?
https://www.recipe.com/pistachio-cake/
How does he feel about Mt. Dew? My husband loves this cake- and it goes together in a snap.
Mt Dew Cake
Ingredients:
1 Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix with pudding in the mix
1 box (small) instant vanilla pudding
½ cup water
½ cup cooking oil
½ cup Mountain Dew
4 eggs
½ cup pecan chips (optional)
Glaze:
1 stick of butter
¼ cup Mountain Dew
1 cup sugar
Mix all ingredients except pecans. Place pecans in bottom of greased Bundt pan (Pam cooking spray). Pour batter over pecans. Bake at 325F for 50-60 minutes.
Glaze:
Bring to a boil 1 stick butter, ¼ cup Mountain Dew & 1 cup sugar. Boil about 2 mins (until mixture clings to spoon). Pour over cake in pan while still hot. Remove from pan – DO NOT LET COOL.
When I saw “Dr. Pepper cake”, I immediately thought of the Dr. Pepper cupcakes I made years ago, when I’d just gotten into baking. They were delicious, even without the baking soda I left out, because I didn’t know what it was! I recently retraced that recipe, so I can make them again. With baking soda this time ;) It’s right here: https://www.sinfullysweetconfections.com/blog/2008/03/09/chocolate-cherry-dr-pepper-cupcakes
lovely! thank you!
You can say what you want about the marshmallows, but I think the red flag was Dr. Pepper.
Seriously…Dr. Pepper?
So easy it should be criminal – it’s not from scratch but it’s oh so amazing. You take 1 boxed white cake mix and combine with 12oz of soda (any kind you want, rootbeer, strawberry Fanta, Dr. Pepper, you name it) and bake per box directions. (no egg, no oil, no water, just cake mix and soda)
After it has cooled, combine 2 packages of Dream Whip with 8oz of very cold soda (same flavor as the cake) and mix until extremely fluffy (5-8 minutes). Frost with dream whip and serve.
So far I’ve only made this as a 9×13 but its amazing. We like it best with rootbeer, but it’s worth a try with Dr. Pepper.
Hi there Joy,
Big fan of your blog!
Managed to find one Dr Pepper recipe that had some rave reviews you might want to check.
https://www.shewearsmanyhats.com/2010/03/dr-pepper-cake/
Hope that helps some! Hope your BF has a great birthday! <3
I stumbled across this recipe and used up the freebie can of Monster (do you have it in the States) I had sitting around in the fridge. Not exactly soda, but I’m sure Mountain Dew can be substituted, tastes and looks about the same anyway… It was sticky and sweet – perfect for me!
https://thecakemistress.com/blog/freerecipes/cupcakes/red-bull-and-pop-rock-cupcakes/
I really shouldn’t be publishing on the net because it will be totally bad for my rep but I made betty crocker vanilla cupcakes & added lemonade instead of water a few weeks ago with my kid sister (my dad totally fobbed off the cake mix onto me & I just wanted it out of my house in case someone saw it & got the wrong idea) and it was actually (to my suprise & dismay) awesome.
I am also a big fan of the chocolate guinness cake
hi joy,
forget about soda in cake for the boy with the red hair, and try the spice cake at epicurious and sub some of your buttermilk for the sour cream. frost with some light pink frosting (cause amy at amy’s bread in nyc says most men love pink frosting!) which looks beautiful with the light brown spice cake. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spice-Cake-with-Blackberry-Filling-and-Cream-Cheese-Frosting.
we skipped the blackberry filling when we made it tonight for my dad’s birthday and we frosted it with your cream cheese frosting (the one with the brown sugar in it) that we tinted pink.
thanks for sharing your brilliance!
So sorry it didn’t work out…I’ve made a “pistachio” cake (my husband’s favorite nut, after me) with pistachio pudding, a boxed mix, and sprite or ginger ale, and it comes out a little different, but great, every single time. I can email you the recipe if you want. I’ve also changed up the puddings/liquids and it’s equally yummy.
you made a root beer cake before. . . don’t you think that will impress Red? Or are you looking for something different?
I guess its not a birthday without a cake, but here are two alternatives:
This is for a root beer granita float from Bon Appetite. It’s fab
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Root-Beer-Granita-Float-232392
and the making of root beer syrup inspired this recipe for me (since I can never find root beer concentrate that doesn’t taste like those icky little root beer barrel candies):
https://www.tallgrasskitchen.com/root-beer-float-cookies
‘Round here we make Sun Drop pound cake. Sun Drop is a citrus flavored soda.
A recent birthday found me mixing it up…. using another local soda, Cherrwine (cherry flavored) in place of the Sun Drop, with almond extract in exchange for the lemon.
I’m convinced you can substitute most kinds of soda in the basic recipe as long as you change the extracts too.
The cake is sweet, but that’s just how we are here in the South. :)
This site has the recipe we use:
https://southerncuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/southern_sundrop_soft_drink_pound_cake_recipe
Well the Root beer cake from Baked has been suggested numerous times cause its well… just that good! It’s my go to soda pop cake. I really wish the Dr. Pepper cake worked out.. I was mundo excited about that one. Maybe the other suggested recipe would be better??
Good luck and happy baking!
Boys also like Ben & Jerry’s.
Poor Joy. Hate it when that kind of thing happens!
It sounded good as I was reading until you said that it was gross:( Sorry!
These are cookies, not a cake, but oh they are good!
My great grandma Mary used to make them, and they taste like summer!
Grandma Mary’s Lemonade Cookies:
1 c margarine (I use butter)
1 c sugar
2 eggs
3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup frozen lemonaide concentrade, undiluted (set the rest aside)
1/4 cup lemon/lime soda (I once used orange… still pretty good)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs, beat until fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients and add to butter and sugar mix. Add lemonade and soda. Mix well. Drop 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bat at 375 for six and a half minutes (she must have not had a good oven, cause I had to cook mine for a good 10 min-just keep an eye on the first batch). Brush hot cookies with the remaining lemonade and sprinkle with sugar. Let cookies cool and soak up the liquid.
My family has been eating these for over 40 years! Makes us miss our Grandma Mary.
I have to agree that the Root Beer Bundt cake from the Baked cookbook is amazing. I’m not sure that anyone would realize that it has root beer in it if you didn’t tell them, but it’s SO good. And really fun to make. And really pretty.
I don’t know about soda pop cakes, or even about Dr Pepper (I’m an Aussie), but I do know about flops.
This past weekend, I pulled out a tried and true receipe for Choc Chip Cookies. For some reason, I added milk to the receipe, when it doesn’t call for it and when I’ve never done that before.
I ended up with two enourmous cookies that were the size of the trays I baked them on and about half a centimeter thick.
WHY did I do that?!
By far is my Strawberry Soda Pop Cake. Everytime I make it everyone asks for the recipe. Very summery cake you will love it.
Strawberry Soda Pop Cake
https://www.mommyskitchen.net/2008/08/strawberry-soda-pop-cake.html
ooh my goodness! strawberry everything! kinda awesome.
I’ve made a coca-cola cake before and though I don’t have the recipe right in front of me it looked like yours did once baked. The thing about them, is they are a little gooey and the icing is a force of its own, really thick but I added pecans. Its less cakey than I thought it was going to be. Try again is my only advice, I did and liked it the second time around.
Then again, my favorite cake with soda is your root beer float cake :)
Props to you for the attempt, and I’ve been worried about using soda in anything after someone told me they use Coke to get blood off of concrete. That’s the mental picture every. time. I see. a can. Not good. And now I’ve shared that with you. Probably not good for you either.
Ditto on the Baked Cookbook’s recipe of Root Beer Cake.
Not root beery tasting enough, but the cake was awesome.
https://melaniemh.blogspot.com/2009/08/reading-baking-and-more-to-do-lists.html
I made Dr. Pepper cookies too..but they weren’t very pepper-y either. *sigh* Good, just not peppery..so I made them thumbprint cookies instead..but you are right, the thought is what counts!!
https://jamieoliverisnotmyboyfriend.blogspot.com/2010/01/dr-pepper-thumbprint-cookies.html
i’ve never baked with soda pop before, but i will stay tuned to see what u come up with. good luck :)
I always prefer Sprite or 7UP cakes to dark cola cakes. They’re never overly sweet either.
The only cake I had with soda in it, was one a friend made using a Weight Watchers recipe. It wasn’t really that good, gooey and sticky, but it helped with the sweet tooth craving.. nothing I’d make for anyone. I’ve remember making a Milky Way Cake when I was a kid, and I’ve been thinking about bringing it back – but wonder would it taste as good now that I’m a grown up?
I would say the Root Beer Bundt Cake from the Baked cookbook is AWESOME. I’ve made it, it’s easy to make, a 20-oz. bottle of A&W works PERFECTLY (I think I put a bit more Root beer in the frosting), and everyone from 6-96 would eat it with a smile (and cake in their teeth). Hehe
Ok.
I do not have the real recipe for this one. I just throw stuff together in the dutch oven and some how it works.
Spray the dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray, or use some shortening.
1 box of white cake mix (any brand)
1 20oz bottle of sprite
1 stick of butter
1 small can of cherry/apple/whatever pie filling
Open the box of cake mix and dump the mix in the dutch oven. Pour the bottle of sprite over the cake mix. Cut up the stick of butter into little pieces and sprinkle on top of the cake/sprite mixture. Finally, add as much pie filling to the top as you want. (I hate the pie filling, but my husb just HAS to have it.)
**IMPORTANT** Run a knife through the mixture a few times, like if you were marbling the cake, but don’t stir everything together.
Put the lid on the oven, add the coals above and below and let it cook for 35-35 minutes or until the white cake starts to fluff like actual… cake.
We make this every time we go camping. Hope you like it!
When lacking a camp site, or good weather, I use a crock pot for this one. Works just as well. :)
I have a friend who makes something like this, and they call it a “dump cake”.
I make a cake similar to this as well. All my days as a girl scout camp counselor paid off.
The only thing is that I use two cans of pie filling to one box of cake mix. No butter, no soda.
You can mix the filling and the cake mix together completely, or put the filling on the bottom and the cake mix right on top of it, no stirring necessary. The pie filling will cook right into the cake mix.
Delicious!
While I don’t have a specific cola cake recipe for you, I can offer an alternative suggestion. You could try making a Dr Pepper syrup – there’s enough sugar in the soda already, so all you’d really have to do is reduce it in a saucepan on the stove.
Then you can make a simple pound cake or bundt cake recipe, no unique flavors or ingredients. Once the cake has come out of the pan, put it on a cooling rack and pierce it all over with a toothpick (or a wooden skewer would work even better), then brush the syrup all over it. Make sure you totally cover it, with more than you think you need. Then let it cool to room temp. The syrup will absorb into the cake, and the outer layer will have a nice crisp glaze to it.
Jason
I’ve made the Dr Pepper Cake from Tasty Kitchen, and I really liked it. It’s definitely very similar to chocolate sheet cake – the icing is pretty sweet, but a thinner layer would do the trick. My very, very picky husband was a fan (and it’s rare that he says he likes a chocolate cake).
Joy the (Awesome) Baker, check out the Tasty Kitchen recipe. Don’t give up on Dr Pepper Cake! This 6th generation Texan likes it because:
1. It’s got Dr Pepper in it, and Dr Pepper is rad. And Texan.
2. It tastes like the chocolate sheet cake my grandmother used to make, but there’s more per bite since it’s in a 9×13 pan.
When I was little my babysitter used to make a Mountain Dew cake. I think it had about 2 cups of Mountain Dew in it.
wow! weird!
I suggest you make a simple syrup with s reduced down Dr. Pepper. And soak a white cake on it or Dr pepper glaze
https://nontoxicmama.com/2010/04/18/recipe-coca-cola-cake/
This is a recipe that my DH and I came up with through trial and error to get as close to Cracker Barrel’s cake as we could. I use Mexican coke to get coke with sugar instead of HFCS.
There’s a Cola cake and a Dr. Pepper cake recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and neither one of them has marshmallows in the ingredients. I haven’t tried either one (even though they’re both saved in my recipe box) and they both sound like they’re versions of chocolate sheet cake (where you pour the fudgy frosting on the cake while both are still warm) with either cola or Dr. Pepper added. They’re very basic, and will probably taste better than the over zealous recipe you tried.
The only time I used a soft-drink in a cake was a “dump cake” that called for 7up, a can of pineapple and an angelfood cake mix. It was not very attractive, it was super sticky/difficult to serve, but tasted pretty good.
Does it HAVE TO BE a soft-drink cake? Seriously, pick one of your fabulous “go-to” cakes and go to it! Experiment later for fun with no pressure. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way! I know it’s fun to try new things, but if it’s a new boy, then all your previous cakes will be new to him!
This recipe is from my cookbook Tastes of the States and I love it cause it’s so moist and easy.
Cola Cake
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup canned coke (or dr. pepper would work)
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (don’t hate the marshmallows – they add to it!)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Combine flour, cocoa, and soda; set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Add half of flour mixture; mix well. Add buttermilk; mix well. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until well blended. Add coke, blend well and stir in marshmallows. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 mins.
I hope you like this one more than your initial attempts!!
Okay, so I’ve technically never made this, but I have made a lot of Nigella recipes, and they’re always good! Her Coca Cola cake recipe is here: https://www.nigella.com/recipe/recipe_detail.aspx?rid=12485
And also, thank you for your endless supply of pancake recipes – you make Saturday mornings at our house very happy! :)
Awww man that sucks!! Oh well, the pictures look great though!!! I have never made a cake with soda before so I can be of no help but good luck!!
pioneer woman has a great pound cake that uses sprite…it has just a hint of lemon flavoring, stays moist for days, and is served well with fruit sauce (i used blueberries). her recipe is at:
https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/perfect-pound-cake/
ooh! that’s a good one!
Well… I have made this before and it’s fantastically good: https://patentandthepantry.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/guinness-chocolate-cupcakes/
It’s not pop (I think Americans say “soda”), but it comes in a can, and it’s the sort of thing boys tend to like a whole lot more than pop, if you know what I mean. ;)
mmmm. guinness cake is deeelicious! thank you!
My husband raves about the root beer cake and frosting from the Baked cookbook. It may be on the more adult side of sweet though but its just a solid recipe with so many complex flavors!!
The Baked Root Beer Bundt Cake recipe is just insane. I must confess, it didn’t taste much like root beer without the addition of root beer concentrate, but even without it it’s the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. Here it is: https://fleurelise.blogspot.com/2010/04/root-beer-bundt-cake.html.
Happy baking!
Brittany
thank you thank you!
wow i’m awfully sad that this cake didn’t come out. i was really looking forward to it from the teaser that you posted. ah well. if you do come up with a solution, i can’t wait to see…
I can’t even drink a can of pop without my teeth feeling gritty, and my head beginning to spin with allllll that sugar! And then to ADD MORE sugar to a cake with it?!!? AND a sugar-y icing?!? I have absolutely no desire to ever eat or make a cake made with any soda! I would go into a sugar coma.
i know.. i know… i’m not a soda drinker also. the cake just sounded so fun that i’m determined to find a way to make it work.
Aww, well good luck with your attempts at it! I’m sure I’ll be saving whatever recipe you deem yum-worthy. With 2 young boys in the house, I’m sure to have a request for a soda cake one day in the future! (AAANNND Good luck with your red-haired boy!) ;)
Dear Joy
I think you might need to change tack… surely soda should never be popped into a cake! Instead, the cute red-haired crush would make the perfect carrot cake consumer. Think about it: carrots, orange, awesome hair. It’s all linked, in a subtle, I love your hair, and you, men-usually-adore carrot cake kinda way.
I can pass on the recipe I’ve been using for years… it’s actually the first thing I ever baked (it also proved most helpful in ensnaring my now – brand new – husband). You see, it worked for me. Carrots, fruits, nuts, what’s better? Let me know and I’ll pass it on.
Oh and also: made your Apple and Walnut Bread for my parents yesterday (they’re over from London visiting us in DC) and IT WAS AMAZING.
i know… maybe i’m a little off track. maybe i’m a little stubborn.
carrot cake is a super great idea! i like the way you think!
Oh no, I wish I had one for you, that has happened to me before as well! It’s ok, though, I’m sure The Boy doesn’t mind… And if he doesn’t understand that even the best bakers have a dud every now & again, we don’t like him anyway ;) Trying out a new recipe is the only way to find out if you like it! Inevitably there will be some that are no good.
You make a zebra cake! who can not be impressed.
https://www.realepicurean.com/2008/06/zebra-cake/
the recipe calls for sprtie. there are may other versions on the internet that dont. If you are looking for a cake to redeem yourself look no further.
i love zebra cake!
Oh, and “Dream Whip” added to any cake makes for a glorious one! Good luck, Joy! :-)
This is a pistachio ginger ale cake. I’ve actually had it, and found it interesting and quite tasty!
https://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,186,148188-240199,00.html
This cake seems rather promising (it also has green gelatin in it!) :-) The person contributing it bought it from an estate sale.
https://www.grouprecipes.com/88433/white-ginger-ale-cake.html
i really like the sound of a pistachio ginger ale cake! thanks!
Easiest Soda Cake Ever – I think it’s a Weight Watchers recipe, but take a box cake mix and instead of adding all the other ingredients (oil, eggs, etc.), add a can of soda – in this case Dr. Pepper. It’s super light and fluffy and ice it with cool whip. So yummy!
wow. that’s odd!
I have never made a pop cake, but I do make brownies with marshmallows in them – they are my favorite brownie recipe! They never come out too moist, so maybe it was another ingredient???
You should try a 7-up cake. I’ve had that before (didn’t bake it, though) and it was very good. A bit sweet but definitely still edible. I ate several pieces so….yeah, definitely edible, haha.
By the way, I absolutely love your site. I got it off of Annie’s Eats (you’re on her blogroll) and I always stop by hoping you have a new post. Your writing is really entertaining, your baking is freaking amazing (my friends loved the Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes, by the way), and that post you had on how to impress boys with baking was just hilariously genius. Alright, now that I have gone complete fangirl on you I will end this ridiculously long comment, haha.
Thank you for posting such fantastic recipes!
you’re sweet! thanks liz!
Pioneer Woman has an awesome pound cake with 7-Up (or Sierra Mist) that I’ve made. I added a glaze to the top for a more celebratory occasion. Here’s the link, if you’re not already familiar. – https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/perfect-pound-cake/
Joy, I am sure that not only does red-headed boy already know you can bake, but probably actually does think it’s the thought that counts. But still, very frustrating!
Since I kind of hate Dr. Pepper, I don’t have a Dr. Pepper cake recipe up my sleeve. But I have made this lemon-lime soad cake https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Lime-Pound-Cake-104735 which isn’t all that lemon-lime flavored but more like just a better pound cake.
The Dr.Pepper recipe from Sky High is awesome!
Joy, I had to make the Dr. Pepper cake after I saw your tweet about it. I took this cake to our dinner club Friday night, and we all loved it! The frosting was the best part, I thought. I’d never made frosting without a mixer and was doubtful, but somehow it still turned out thick, like the picture in the cookbook. Maybe my experience with the cake was a fluke? I’m sorry about your cake flop experience. Nothing makes me more frustrated than a recipe that fails, especially for a special occasion.
Pioneer Woman’s perfect pound cake IS perfect. You can “special it up” with a fresh strawberry coulis. Yummm.
I do have a recipe for root beer float cupcakes… Easy enough to make into a sheet cake if you’d prefer. :)
https://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/24/float-away/
that sounds like yumtown.
Lovely photos though, I’ve never heard of cakes made with a kind of soft drink, is it really necessary? Wine maybe, but coca cola is too sweet anyway.
Still, now I’m curious…
I used to make this all the time in college, don’t remember it being too sweet and I used all different types of pop in it.
Cake:
1c flour
1c sugar
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2c margarine
1/2c soda (any flavour)
1/4c mini marshmallows
1 egg, beaten
2tbsp cocoa
1/4c milk
Mix in large bowl, flour, sugar, baking soda, set aside.
In saucepan over low heat stir marg, pop, marshmallows and cocoa until blended and marshmallows are melted.
With whisk or fork stir into flour mixture.
Stir in milk and egg until blended.
Turn into greased 8x8x12″ pan.
Bake 30 min at 350F (180C) or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool then frost with icing.
Icing:
1/4c margarine
2tbsp cocoa
2tbsp pop
1 1/2c icing sugar
1/2c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
In saucepan over low heat, stir marg, cocoa, pop until melted.
Remove from heat. With whisk or fork, beat in sugar until smooth. Stir in nuts and spread on cake.
Good luck on your search!
Oops, I meant to write 2 cups sugar in the cake…
I agree that these cakes just sound like they are supposed to be super sweet. Look at the recipe someone posted: it has 1 cup sugar, 1 cup pop (that’s a lot of sugar in there), and 1.5 cups marshmallows!! Holy cow. Then you top it with more pop and one pound of powdered sugar! Yikes. It does sound icky and gross.
I think you made it just right and you just didn’t like the recipe. Nothing wrong with that.
The only soda cake I’ve ever made was your root beer float cake, about which I admit I was skeptical, but I was not disappointed.
This is my favorite “pop cake” and it is weight watchers friendly
1 chocolate cake mix (I like duncan heinz)
1 can of root beer, dr. pepper, coke or pepsi (just make it diet)
Stir together and bake according to package directions.
I also do this with spice cake and cream soda or lemon cake and squirt.
Kind of cheating huh??? Should be some flour sifting somewhere LOL.
Last year I made a rootbeer float cake from a blog, sorry, dont’ remember which one, but it had peanut butter frosting, it was divine to say the least! Recipe is on my blog! It was the best cake!
root beer cake with peanut butter frosting!? whaaat!?
I haven’t tried baking any cakes with soda/pop….I’m not a coke drinker, so I would never try a cola cake, but I’ve heard raves about 7up cake and ginger ale cake. I absolutely LOVE Dr. Pepper…..so sad it didn’t work out for you….and as far as impressing the boy, i like the idea of a stout cake too :P
next time… stout cake for sure.
I’ve been making these for my now-hubby’s birthday for YEARS! He loves them, albeit without the almond extract. :)
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/raspberry-cream-cupcakes-recipe/index.html
They’re like little cupcake sandwiches of love. They’re messy (in a good way) and airy and not too sweet. The perfect dessert? Maybe…
What about trying the root beer cake from the Baked cookbook? It’s on Serious Eats-https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/11/baked-root-beer-bundt-cake-recipe.html
i’ve tried that cake. it’s pretty darn good.
https://alizarine.typepad.com/weblog/2009/12/flan-cake.html
This recipe uses a cake mix, so I always feel like I’m cheating when I bake it, but it’s totally fun and impressive. You can whip it up in ten minutes. :)
And I think you’re pretty cool, too!
Hi Joy – here is a recipe I’ve had great success with – SO MUCH sugar but it works (and, yes, I know it says Root Beer, but I have only ever used Coca Cola and, actually, I’m not really sure of the difference between the soda flavors but don’t imagine it will impact the taste terribly much (or maybe it will!). It is such a pleasure to read your blog and share in your baking adventures. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love trying your recipes and always (!) enjoy the results.
Root Beer Float Cake
Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
2 cups root beer (don’t use diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Preheat even to 325 degrees F. Spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, or butter generously and dust with flour, knocking out the excess. In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs until just beaten. Then whisk into the cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy. You can give it a quick whisk if you like, but don’t over beat the batter or it could cause the cake to be tough. Don’t worry, the batter is very loose.
Pour the batter into prepared pan and cook for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then loosen edges with a butter knife and turn out onto a cake plate.
Chocolate Root Beer Frosting
2 ounces 60% cocoa, melted
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt (you may want to use less… maybe just 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric hand mixer, beat softened butter and cocoa powder. Once combined add the melted chocolate, salt, powdered sugar and root beer. Beat together until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Sorry to hear of your Dr. Pepper trial (although it’s hard to imagine that you made anything that was “gross” or “icky”). And, it certainly is the thought that counts. :)
I’m throwing my vote in for Root Beer Float cake. My son is the ultimate root beer fan!
Nigella Lawson has a fantastic Coca Cola cake, well worth a try, and no marshmallows!!!!!!
this must be delicious cake! Cakes with cocacola are great! especially muffins :)
I hope it’s a good omen for you and the red haired boy – like rain on a wedding day.
A shared disaster brings people closer together ;-)
hahahaa! bad cake is a good omen? that might be the upside i suppose!
YOUR root beer float cake is the BEST soda pop cake on the planet!
Look no further than your own recipe collection!
lemonade scones! delish
I am not sure if it works with regular soda…and I am not sure you want to go the route of a cake mix …BUT if you mix one 12 oz can of diet soda (any flavor) with one box of cake mix (again..any flavor) and bake according to direction on the box you get a light moist delicious cake! No eggs or oil required.
My mother in law LOVES this recipe and her favorite is a lemon cake with 7-up. Once the batter is misxed and in the pan she adds a cup or so of blueberries. Just sprinkle them all around. Then when the cake is all done she drizzles it with a powdered sugar glaze. It is yummy, pretty and SUPER easy!
Other good flavor combos are white cake mix with orage soda and chocolate cake mix with cola.
that sounds yummy!
I second the suggestion on the Root Beer Bundt Cake in the Baked cookbook… use the schnapps… and serve with ice cream.
Aww! Sad day! Sorry you had a baking fail… Dr. Pepper cake sounds so good in theory. I love the Root Beer Bundt from Baked and also Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Pound Cake uses sprite/7-up/whatever and is indeed pretty darn perfect (although perhaps not quite special enough to be birthday-worthy). I do believe it’s the thought that counts, though!
I love the Coca-cola cake with broiled peanut butter frosting from The Blue Willow Inn cookbook. It’s very sweet, but I think the frosting makes this delectable. It would probably work with Dr. Pepper, but since the soda is sweeter than Coke, the cake will probably turn out a bit too sweet. I’m not sure the best way to balance that out. Good luck!
I haven’t made this particular recipe, but everything else that I have made out of Sky High: Irresistible triple layer cakes had been amazing. It’s supposed to be kind of German chocolatesque, but uh, Southern.
Chocolate Cola Cake with Toasted Coconut-Pecan Frosting
Cake Batter:
1 ½ ounces (about 3/8 cup) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
2 ¾ cups cake flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cherry cola or Dr Pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 3 9-inch round cake pans or coast with vegetable cooking spray. Line the bottom of each with a round of parchment or waxed paper and grease the paper.
2. Combine the chocolate and buttermilk in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring often, until the chocolate melts, about 7 minutes; do not let the buttermilk come near a boil, or it will curdle. Remove fro the heat and whisk until smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Beat in the oil and vanilla. Gradually whisk in the sugar until well blended. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth and homogenized.
4. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set these dry ingredients aside. In a 2 or 3 alternating additions, add the dry ingredients and cola to the chocolate mixture, beating between additions. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared cake pans.
5. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let the layer cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
6. To assemble the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake plate or stand. Cover the top with about ¾ cup of the Toasted Coconut-Pecan Frosting, spreading it evenly to the edge. Repeat with the second layer and another ¾ cup frosting. Finally, spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake, allowing the excess to drip decoratively down the sides.
7. Refrigerate the cake, uncovered for at least 1 hour until the frosting sets. The cover with a cake dome, large bowl or plastic wrap until ready to serve. This allows the moisture to even out and prevents the frosting from forming a crust. Chilling also makes the cake easier to cut, something that’s best done with a hot, wet serrated knife.
Toasted Coconut Pecan Frosting (makes about 4 cups)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (I used unsweetened)
1 cup chopped pecans (about 4 ounces)
2 cans (14 oz each) sweetened condensed milk
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a large baking sheet spread out the coconut and pecans separately. Toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, tossing the coconut once, until the coconut is very lightly browned and the pecans are fragrant. Transfer to a dish and let the cool. Let the oven on.
2. Spoon the condensed milk unto a heatproof glass baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and set the dish in a roasting pan or larger baking dish. Fill the pan with enough hot water to reach about halfway up the side of the smaller baking dish. Bake for 2 hours, stirring once or twice, until the milk is a light caramel color. Carefully remove the foil with caution, the hot steam can burn.
3. Transfer the caramelized milk to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in the toasted coconut and pecans. Let cool slightly. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap, pressing it directly unto the surface, then refrigerate until cool but not set, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
It isn’t soda but it comes in a can or a bottle… Deb at Smitten Kitchen has an amazing recipe for chocolate stout cake. It’s really delicious, and not at all too sweet. Love your blog, and thanks for sharing even the disasters!
I made that last week for a wedding! Except I did three batches of the original (hers was halved)…totally awesome!
I think a lot of boys would be impressed by a cake made with stout, maybe more so than by one made with Dr. Pepper. Sending red-headed good luck vibes… :)
Yeah I made a cocacola recipe once, two bites in I had to stop cause my teeth hurt too much. Sugar. Wow. I think that’s just how these babies are, you need to live your sugar! I’m sure your fella will forgive, one dud bake amongst millions of awesome ones, who wouldn’t!
I found this recipe for Dr. Pepper Cake! I think it looks pretty darn good!
https://www.shewearsmanyhats.com/2010/03/dr-pepper-cake/
Oh and didn’t you make a root beer cake? What if you just subbed out the root beer for dr. pepper. Would that work?
ooh! sub root beer for dr pepper. interesting. why didn’t i think of that!?
This recipe is from my mother-in-law. Any dark soda, including Dr. Pepper, can be substituted. It is sweet, but good.
Coca Cola Cake
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
½ C. butter
½ C. shortening
3 Tbls. cocoa
1 C. Coca Cola
½ C. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ C. mini marshmallows
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Melt the butter, shortening, Coca Cola and cocoa in a small saucepan. Pour over the flour and sugar; stir well. Add remaining ingredients and pour into a greased and floured 13 X 9 inch pan. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Frost while hot.
Frosting
½ C. butter
6 Tbls. Coca Cola
3 Tbls. cocoa
4 C. (1 lb.) powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chopped pecans
Heat butter, Coca Cola, and cocoa in a large saucepan until they just come to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour over hot cake.
I have never baked a cake with soda pop, however, I have heard of a 7-Up cake… Have you tried that?
oh mann :(
the photos make it look so delicious!!
I’ve never tried baking with soda….or pop (it’s soda :)). Looking at the photos is giving me this weird sweet taste in my mouth though. Perhaps you can bake a traditional cake and then add in spices to emulate the Dr. Peppers taste?
I saw the 1st picture and thought, “Oh WOW! What has Joy concocted now??” Sorry to hear that it didn’t turn out well. Never made a soda pop cake myself, but will stay tuned for a good recipe to try.
yea…. bummer, right? it looked so good. it tasted so bad.
Ah, that’s a bummer for sure! But really the thought is important. And what’s more is the photos turned out pretty beautifully. Better luck next time.