Coca Cola Pound Cake
Topped with a chocolate glaze, this Coca Cola Pound Cake is a unique dessert idea! Grab a slice today!
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Growing up, the 7UP pound cake was a staple dessert. Everyone had a variation of the recipe in their recipe box (remember those!?), and you could almost always count on a 7UP pound cake making an appearance at family gatherings or neighborhood parties. I made a blueberry + lemon version of this classic cake years ago, and it’s still one of our favorites! However, the other day I got to thinking. What would happen if I played around with the type of soda?
Instead of using 7UP, what if I used Coca-Cola instead? And thus this Coca Cola Pound Cake was born. In truth, I’m sure versions of this pound cake floated around my childhood, too. After all, switching 7UP for Coke isn’t that dramatic of a change. However, I only remember the 7UP version.
The fascinating thing about using soda in pound cakes is the recipes don’t call for any leaveners. No baking soda. No baking powder. Instead, the carbonation from the soda does the trick. Kinda cool, huh? Yay, science!
Coca Cola Pound Cake
Coca Cola Pound CakeThe 7UP version of this pound cake has a mild lemon flavor thanks to the 7UP, but I often boost the lemon with more lemon juice + lemon zest. In the case of this Coca Cola Pound Cake, I didn’t think lemon would be the best partner. Instead, I opted for a chocolate glaze on top. The glaze is a classic chocolate glaze – like something you might find on a chocolate glazed donut. It’s delicious! However, in truth, I’m not sure this cake needs a glaze. It’s delicious in it’s own right. But then again, go for the chocolate – chocolate makes everything better, right??
I’ve always loved pound cakes. They’re dense in the best way possible. And they’re super easy to make! I had this cake mixed and in the oven in about 20 minutes – and I think that included the time to wash my mixing bowl. The only downside to pound cakes is the baking time. This cake took ~80 minutes to bake. Normally that’s not a big deal, but the house smelled amazing with the cake in the oven – and my stomach started growling more and more as the minutes ticked by.
If you’re looking for a fun (and unique) dessert idea, then put this Coca Cola Pound Cake on the list! It doesn’t taste overly “Coca Cola-y,” but it does have a noticeable flavor from the soda. All together, this was a tasty treat, and it will definitely be making future appearances in our house. Happy baking!
Did you bake a Coca Cola Pound Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). I’d love to see your version!
Coca Cola Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Pound Cake
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Coca Cola not Diet Coke
For the Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Coca Cola
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Lightly grease a standard bundt pan; set pan aside.
- Using an electric mixer, add butter and sugar; mix on medium speed until light and fluffy (~3-4 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each addition.
- Add salt and flour 1 cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition.
- Add Coca Cola and mix on low speed until a smooth batter forms (~1-2 minutes).
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 325°F for 75-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow cake cool in pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack until completely cool.
For the Chocolate Glaze
- Using a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the butter, sugar and Coca-Cola. Place over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to boil. Once boiling, continue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove pan from heat and add chocolate chips; stir until fully melted and mixture is smooth.
- Pour glaze over top of bundt cake. (Note: This glaze sets up quickly, so you’ll need to work fast at this stage.)
- Let cake and glaze cool fully before slicing.
Looking for more pound cake recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
I knew you could use coke for your baking (Obviously, it’s a great leavening agent), but I’ve never made it myself. Well, I’ve never even tasted. I am not sure how about that 7UP pound cake, but I think coke gives much more flavour! Also, I love you used it for the glaze too. Now, I might not be a huge coke fan, but I think you could make an equally delicious cake with root or ginger beer instead.
Funny enough, the cola doesn’t actually give this cake a strong cola taste, Ben. It is noticeable, but it’s not strong. Given the choice between the 7UP blueberry version and this Coca Cola chocolate version, I might actually take the 7UP one. However, both are delicious…just in different ways! I really like that idea of a ginger beer one – that would have incredible flavor. Hmmm…I should try that next time!
I don’t drink a whole lot of pop, but would definitely love to try this pound cake! What a fun twist and it looks like something that would definitely make my Monday a little brighter (and tastier)! If only I could grab a slice from my screen! 😉
The Coke does give this one a fun twist – the flavor isn’t overt, but it’s there. And the chocolate glaze just takes this one to a new level. A slice would definitely make the day brighter…especially if that day happens to be a Monday. Haha. Thanks, Dawn!
How interesting. I’ve never heard of a cake that uses pop as a leavener. It’s amazing to me that it works. You’d think you’d beat all the carbonation out of the batter before it did anything. I’m also surprised that the cake looks so yellow. I’d think the color of the Coke would turn it more of a tan or brown. You’re always doing such interesting things, David!
To be fair, Jeff, pound cakes don’t always require leaveners. However, using soda as the liquid is pretty cool – I was playing around with a version the other day that uses iced tea as the liquid. The options are endless there!
And, yes, I was also surprised at the color of the batter. I expected it to be more brown, too – but it ended up almost the same color as the 7UP version. Who knows!? Either way, this was a tasty cake.
Whoa, I’ve never heard of 7-Up or Coca Cola cake, but this looks so cool! Haven’t had soda pop in a long time, but this could be classified under “science experiments” for the kids you know? 😉 Will have to give it a try (for the sake of science!!) 😀
I think this could totally count as ‘science experiment’! I mean pound cakes don’t really need much in the way of leaveners anyways, but this still opens up the discussion of the role of ingredients in baking. I highly recommend it – and then you get to eat the experiment when it’s over, too! 🙂
The texture of this pound cake is perfect, David! I’ve had coke in savory dishes like ribs, but never in cake. Such a fun idea for a summer treat!
Yes! I’ve used soda in BBQ sauces for grilling before, but it can also be used in baking. This is a fun cake for sure – it doesn’t have an overtly cola flavor, but the taste is there. And the chocolate glaze really takes this one to a new level, too. Thanks, Marissa!
i think a chocolate glaze makes everything better david:) it’s amazing what coke can add to recipes. i watched a video the other day where they were making coke from scratch. and even tho it was almost clear, the taste was remarkably similar, they said. and of course nigella’s famous recipe for ham in coke … good stuff! i’m sure this is fabulous!
A chocolate glaze truly does make everything better! In fact, bacon goes into that same category. 🙂 Interesting note about making coke from scratch – I wouldn’t even know how to go about doing that. Speaking of clear, was Clear Pepsi ever a thing down there? It was marketed here in the 1990’s, and I remember it well. I think they tried bringing it back a couple years ago, but it must not have gone over too well. Either way, thanks for the comment, my friend!
I love nothing more than a spin on a classic! I do like a 7-up cake, so I imagine my coke-fanatic family would love this version! I think the chocolate flavored glaze is the perfect match for the cake, too! Great idea, David!
Thanks so much, Laura! The 7UP cake is a classic, and this Coke version was a fun riff on that. It was quite tasty, although it didn’t have an overtly ‘Coke’ taste. The chocolate frosting on top might have hidden the taste? Either way, it was a tasty dessert for sure!
What a great idea! In fact you opened up a whole world of possibilities, basically any soda drink will do, maybe I will try it with a rootbeer 🙂
That is true indeed, Raymund! The sky is the limit in terms of flavors. In fact, I’ve been meaning to try a root beer version for a while. Maybe I’ll get around to that one of these days! This Coke version was a fun (and tasty) dessert for sure!
Use Mexican coke cola….cane sugar instead of corn syrup, better and original cola flavor
Ah, that’s a great idea, Michael! Mexican Coca-Cola isn’t easy to find in our area, but I do think I’ve seen it on occasion. I’ll have to try that next time I make this cake!
Maraschino cherry and coke glaze ? Nom.
Haha! Thanks, Gee – this is a fun cake indeed!
Oh my goodness!! The richness and density of a pound cake are the very BEST! And this chocolate icing reminds me of one that my mother-in-law made which I have never been able to master. So I’m really excited that you shared not only the cake but the icing as well. Let’s see how I do with it. Thanks for sharing such great recipes David.
Ah – I know the exact type of elusive frosting recipe that you talk about, Kristy! My mom makes one (not the same as this one here) that I used to be able to make just fine…but then something changed, and I can’t quite master it anymore. Either way, this one is delicious! (And it tastes extra good on top of this pound cake, too!) 🙂