This classic Dr. Pepper cake is a rich chocolate cake that has a hint of nostalgic cherry cola flavor. Everyone will wonder what secret ingredient makes this cake so good!
Dr. Pepper Cherry Cola Cake Recipe
This rich, moist cake with the buttery, sweet frosting is so good! So, I thought I’d switch it up a little bit and try a different soda in it this time – Dr. Pepper Cherry – and boy is it good!!
Check out this Old Fashioned Dr. Pepper Cake! I think you’re gonna love it!
Dr Pepper Cherry Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup Dr. Pepper Cherry
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9×13 cake pan with nonstick spray.
- Combine flour, granulated sugar and baking soda in mixing bowl and whisk together
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup butter, 5 tablespoons cocoa and 1 cup cola beverage to boiling – continually stirring.
- Pour over the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Mixing well well.
- Pour into prepared 9×13 pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Frosting
- Place 4 cups confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder milk. Whisk together. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Remove from heat
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Pour over 4 cups confectioners’ sugar.
- Mix well with a whisk.
- While cake is still warm, slowly pour frosting over the cake and spread to edges.
Variations
Here are a few recipe tweaks and alterations that you may want to try.
- Add 1 cup of chopped maraschino cherries to the cake batter. This adds even more cherry taste and gives the cake a little texture.
- Top the cake with a vanilla frosting instead of chocolate. Use this tasty buttercream recipe and add a tablespoon of maraschino cherry juice to make it pink!
- Top the cake with maraschino cherries and some grated chocolate curls. It will make this easy cherry chocolate soda cake look super decadent.
How to Store Cherry Cola Cake
If you have leftover cake, you can wrap the cake pan in plastic wrap and store the cake at room temperature for 2-3 days. Store the cake in the fridge to make it last up to a week.
You can also freeze cherry cola cake but I would recommend skipping the frosting part of the recipe. Thaw the un-iced cake at room temperature when you are ready to eat it. Then, make the frosting and ice the cake right before you enjoy a nice big slice.
Quick Tip
Give the frosting a little of that cherry cola taste by using half cola and half milk. The frosting will be a little less creamy but super flavorful. Don’t forget to top the cake with a cherry!
I am making this cake today for my granddaughter’s birthday!! 🥰