RC Cola Pound Cake
Ever heard of putting peanuts in cola? It’s an old-timey Southern tradition! This RC Cola Pound Cake channels that combination. A slice of this cake is salty, sweet and delicious!
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If you grew up anywhere in the Southern United States, then you are probably familiar with RC Cola. RC Cola (short for Royal Crown Cola) was created in Columbus, Georgia in 1905. In 1954, they became the first soda company to sell soft drinks in a can. In 1958, they created the first diet cola (diet Rite). Despite these milestones, RC Cola never achieved the popularity of other soft drinks like Pepsi and Coca-Cola.
RC Cola is still available, but it can be rather difficult to find. It is available throughout the Southern US and in Chicago – it’s sold at Bears games of all places!
In the 1950’s, RC Cola and Moon Pies were marketed as a “working man’s lunch.” I’m not so sure about that one, but the connection between RC Cola and Moon Pies is still very much alive.
Another common partner with RC Cola is peanuts. The trend of putting peanuts in your bottle of cola likely began with Coca-Cola, but it soon expanded to RC Cola. The origin is a bit murky, but historians have suggested that pouring a pack of peanuts into a bottle of soda was a way for farmhands to enjoy a snack without having to wash their hands. It’s an odd trend for sure, but I absolutely remember my grandfather doing this when I was a kid.
RC Cola Pound Cake
For this recipe, I decided to channel the sweet + salty vibes of peanuts and RC Cola…in pound cake form! This RC Cola Pound Cake uses RC Cola as the only liquid in the batter. It’s a mighty tasty pound cake by itself! However, I took an extra step and drizzled a vanilla frosting on top and sprinkled it chopped salted peanuts. This dessert ranked up there near the top of my list for favorite pound cakes…and I bake a lot of different pound cakes!
Like all pound cakes, the ingredients for this RC Cola Pound Cake are primarily butter, sugar and eggs. I’ve made a buttermilk pound cake in the past (it’s also tasty!), and this version replaces the buttermilk with RC Cola. The resulting cake doesn’t taste like the soda in my opinion, but it does have a unique depth of flavor that will keep you going back for another nibble…and another nibble…and another nibble!
This cake is fairly easy to make, too. The “trickiest” part (if you can call it that) is making sure to cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. You don’t want to stop once the butter and sugar are mixed – you want to keep on going until the mixture incorporates air and begins to get fluffy. From there, just add the eggs and RC Cola and pour the batter into the pan. Off to the oven it goes to bake on a low temperature for a long time. But the wait is worth it!
If you’re looking for a fun dessert, then put this RC Cola Pound Cake on the list. And don’t forget to add the chopped peanuts on top. The result is a cake that’s sweet, salty and delicious!
Did you make this RC 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!
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 RC Cola
For the Glaze
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 Tbsp milk
- ½ cup chopped peanuts I used roasted, salted peanuts
Instructions
For the Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Lightly grease a standard 12-14 cup Bundt pan; set pan aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high 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 RC 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 80-90 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 Glaze
- Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together all glaze ingredients. (Tip: Start with 3 Tbsp of milk. If the glaze is too thick to pour, add 1 more Tbsp of milk.)
- Spoon glaze on top of the pound cake and then sprinkle chopped peanuts on top before the glaze sets.
Looking for other pound cakes with soda or tea? I’ve made a few! Check out these other fun versions:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had rc cola pound cake before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I’m going to guess that RC Cola won’t be easy to find over in your area, Ramya. However, you could make this cake with another cola. The salty + sweet combination is delicious!
Yes funnily enough I have heard of adding peanuts to a cola drink. I wonder where I heard that? … Your cake looks delightful David.
Maybe on your tour through the US a while back? Or maybe peanuts in cola is popular somewhere else?? I’ve only ever heard of RC Cola and peanuts. Either way, this is a fun dessert!!
Your RC Cola Pound Cake sounds like a delightful tribute to Southern traditions! The combination of RC Cola and peanuts in a cake form is truly intriguing, it blends that sweet, salty, and nostalgic flavor profile into a delicious treat. It’s fascinating to hear about the history of RC Cola and its Southern roots, I never knew this was an American product as we have this as well in the Philippines but its known as a cheaper alternative to Coke
This cake truly is a nod to Southern traditions! I have no idea why peanuts in cola is a thing…but it is. And that’s so interesting that RC is over in the Philippines! Even here in the South, not all stores carry RC. (And, yes, here it’s also a bit cheaper compared to Coke.)