Cherry Coca Cola Cake

I remember the first time I had a Coca Cola cake, it was on one of our family vacations growing up. I think we were eating at a Cracker Barrel. I love Cracker Barrel, it is an amazing restaurant and sometimes I want to drive from California to the nearest one. I saw a Coke cake on the menu and I had to try it. I fell in love.

This cake is such a lovely Southern treat. One day searching through my recipe box I found a recipe and decided it was time to give the cake a try myself. I only knew one thing, even though this is a classic, I would have to use Cherry Coke. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a soda nut, but I really do love myself a cold Cherry Coke. If I’m drinking a soda, its Cherry Coke. That’s because I am a caffeine addict. This is what most likely enticed me to try this dessert as a child because I saw that the cake was made with Coca Cola because truthfully, I really don’t LOVE chocolate. Yep, the secret is out…I am officially a weirdo now. I would much rather have a dessert with cinnamon, pumpkin, or lemon before chocolate. Let’s get back on track here, so I like cherry coke. This cake needed to satisfy that cherry coke flavor as well. Getting back on track, I like Cherry Coke, and this cake had to satisfy that flavor.

First put your flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into the mixing bowl. Try not to get overly excited about what is to come…okay get excited!

Next in a saucepan on medium heat add butter, cocoa powder, Cherry Coke, and buttermilk. Stir the ingredients. The smell of chocolate and coke is lovely, I know, but don’t drink it, it belongs in the cake.

As you are stirring, wait until the mix begins to boil to take it off the heat. Like this:

Next take the wet mixture and add it to the dry mixture. Mix on a low speed. Add maraschino cherry juice and vanilla extract. As long as the mixture is not too hot add eggs one at a time. (We don’t want scrambled eggs.) Mix until all ingredients are combined, it should take about a minute.

Now pour into your greased cake pan and pop into the oven for 30 minutes.

Now you can start the glaze. In a saucepan add butter, cocoa powder, Coke, and maraschino cherry juice on medium heat. Stir the ingredients until the mix begins to boil. (Take the last sip of the Cherry Coke that is left in the can.) Take off the heat and slowly add powdered sugar. (Wonder if you should open another Cherry Coke to go with your Cherry Coke cake?) Make sure as you are mixing, your sugar isn’t lumpy or there will be lumps in the glaze. If your sugar is lumpy, sift it first. Once the cake is finished, pour the warm glaze over the warm cake and let the glaze harden.

Wait as patiently as you can to let the glaze harden. It’s worth it, trust me.

Finished product! The cake is so moist it literally split in two.

Enjoy friends!

Cherry Coca Cola Cake:

Ingredients

Cherry Coke Cake
2 cups of All Purpose Flour
2 cups of Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Butter (2 sticks)
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Cherry Coke
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Maraschino Cherry Juice
2 eggs

Cherry Coke Glaze
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Cherry Cola
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Maraschino Cherry Juice
3 cups of Powdered Sugar

(I use 1 can of Cherry Coke, it is just enough for the cake, glaze and one leftover sip! It’s quite perfect.)

Adapted from May Flaum and an old recipe card in my wonderful box of secrets.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Put your flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Combine.

In a saucepan on medium heat add butter, cocoa powder, Cherry Coke, and buttermilk. Stir the ingredients on the stove until the mix begins to boil. Once it begins to boil take it off the heat.

Now add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix on a low speed. Add vanilla and maraschino cherry juice while mixing. Add 2 eggs one at a time to the mixture (make sure the mixture is not too warm, you don’t want scrambled eggs in your mix). Mix for at least 1 minute until all ingredients are combined. Pour the mix into the pan and place into the oven for 30 minutes.

While the cake is in the oven, begin the glaze. In a saucepan add butter, cocoa powder, Coke, and maraschino cherry juice on medium heat. Stir the ingredients until the mix begins to boil. Take off the heat and slowly add powdered sugar. Make sure as you mix your sugar isn’t lumpy or there will be lumps in the glaze. Once the cake is finished, pour the warm glaze over the warm cake and let the glaze harden.

Once the glaze has set up enjoy a warm piece of cake!

Here is to drinking cold Cherry Cokes,