Double Chocolate Coca Recipe

I just baked a Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake Recipe that comes out so fudgy and glossy it looks illegal, keep scrolling if you want the proof.

I am obsessed with this Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake Recipe because it tastes like a dare I happily accept. It’s dense, deeply chocolate, and the Coca Cola note makes the whole thing sing.

I love the way the cocoa hits you, especially with 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted folded into the batter. And that frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Easy that melts into every forkful.

I’ll eat it for breakfast without apology. Messy slice, sticky fingers, crumbs everywhere.

It’s loud chocolate. Pure, ridiculous, I-can’t-stop-eating dessert.

No regrets, ever. Bring it to party and watch people lose it.

Ingredients

• Flour: the cake’s body, gives structure so it holds all that gooey chocolate.
• Sugar: sweetness and tenderness, it’s what balances cocoa bitterness and keeps crumbs soft.
• Cocoa powder: deep chocolate punch, dry bitterness that makes the cake rich.
• Baking soda: leavening power, it helps the cake rise and get airy.
• Baking powder: extra lift and lightness, keeps texture from being too dense.
• Fine salt: brightens flavors, makes chocolate taste more chocolatey.
• Eggs: binder and lift, they add moisture and a bit of protein.
• Melted butter: adds richness and a velvety mouthfeel, basically buttery depth.
• Vegetable oil: keeps cake moist longer, it’s neutral and reliable.
• Coca Cola: fizzy sweetness and caramel notes, makes crumb tender and a little nostalgic.
• Buttermilk or yogurt: tangy moisture that keeps cake soft and tender.
• Vanilla extract: warm background note, ties everything together without shouting.
• Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate: glossy chocolate punch for the frosting, intense and smooth.
• Butter for frosting: gives shine and richness, makes frosting silky.
• Coca Cola in frosting: adds a light caramel fizz, cuts sweetness slightly.
• Powdered sugar: structure and sweetness for frosting, you control thickness.
• Heavy cream or evaporated milk: adjusts spreadability, makes frosting silky or firmer.
• Vanilla in frosting: softens chocolate edge, friendly little flavor hug.
• Toasted pecans or walnuts: crunchy, toasty contrast and a nutty finish.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (240 ml) Coca Cola, room temp
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, or plain yogurt if you dont have it
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• For the chocolate frosting
• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) Coca Cola
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted (add more for thickness if needed)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream or evaporated milk, more or less to reach spreadable consistency
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional topping: 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan or two 8 inch round pans, or line with parchment, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Make sure there are no clumps of cocoa.

3. In another bowl beat 2 large room temp eggs lightly, then stir in 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup room temp Coca Cola, 1/2 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt) and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, folding with a spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix, a few small streaks of flour are ok.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and tap once on the counter to remove big air bubbles. Bake about 30 to 35 minutes for a 9×13, or 25 to 30 minutes for 8 inch rounds, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Ovens vary so check early.

6. While cake bakes, make the frosting: in a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup Coca Cola together until butter is melted and mixture is warm, not boiling. Remove from heat.

7. Put 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the warm butter and Coke mixture over the chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. If some chunks remain, microwave in 10 second bursts, stir.

8. Stir in 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and about 1/4 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk, adding more cream a teaspoon at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency. If frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.

9. Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool another 10 to 15 minutes until just warm or at room temp. Spread frosting over the cake while frosting is still slightly warm so it smooths nicely but won’t run off.

10. Sprinkle optional toasted chopped pecans or walnuts on top, let frosting set for at least 30 minutes, then slice and serve. Store leftover cake covered at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 inch pan or two 8 inch round pans (or parchment to line them)
2. Large mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
3. Whisk and rubber spatula for folding
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you have one
5. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for the cocoa and powdered sugar
6. Small saucepan for heating butter and Coca Cola
7. Heatproof bowl for the chocolate and a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick to test doneness
9. Baking spray or extra butter and flour for greasing, plus parchment if lining pans

FAQ

Double Chocolate Coca Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour — swap with 1:1 gluten free flour blend for a gluten free cake. If you only have cake flour, use 1 1/4 cups cake flour plus 2 tablespoons all purpose to get similar structure. (Cake flour will make it a tad lighter, but still good.)
• Granulated sugar — you can use light brown sugar or coconut sugar instead. Brown sugar gives a moister, slightly caramel taste, coconut sugar is less sweet and a bit nuttier, so you might wanna add a tablespoon or two more if you like it sweeter.
• Coca Cola — any cola works, or use root beer for a different flavor twist. No soda on hand? Mix 1 cup sparkling water with 2 tablespoons molasses or a teaspoon of extra sugar to mimic the sweetness and depth.
• Buttermilk — plain yogurt or sour cream works fine, same quantity. No dairy? Make a vegan buttermilk by stirring 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup plant milk, let sit 5 minutes, then use 1/2 cup.

Pro Tips

1) Let everything be room temp. Eggs, butter, buttermilk and Coke will mix way better if theyre not cold. Cold stuff can make the batter lumpy and causes uneven baking, so give them 30–60 minutes on the counter.

2) Sift that cocoa and gently fold. Cocoa loves to clump and those clumps stay even after baking. Use a whisk to break them up first, then fold the wet into the dry only until mostly combined. Overmixing = dense cake.

3) Temperature trick for the frosting. Warm the butter and Coke just enough to melt the chocolate but dont boil it or the frosting can separate. If it seems grainy after mixing, let it rest 2 minutes then stir slowly; gentle stirring helps re-emulsify it.

4) Control frosting thickness with powdered sugar and cream, a little at a time. If it gets too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add cream a teaspoon at a time. Spread while the cake is slightly warm so it smooths, but not so hot that frosting runs off.

5) Toast nuts and check doneness early. Toast chopped pecans or walnuts in a dry pan for a few minutes until fragrant; they add crunch and keep longer. Also poke the cake 5 minutes before the shorter bake time given, ovens vary a lot so dont overbake.