Description
Chocolate cola cake adds moisture and richness with a splash of soda – a fun twist on a traditional bake that delivers surprising depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 250g dark brown muscovado sugar
- 320g self-raising flour
- 80g cocoa powder
- 200ml buttermilk
Wet Ingredients:
- 120g unsalted butter, softened
- 250ml cola
- 120g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:
- 400g Bournville chocolate, roughly chopped
- 250g unsalted butter, diced
- 100ml cola
- 100ml water
- 50g dark muscovado sugar
- Cocoa powder to dust (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm deep cake tins with baking paper.
- Stir the cola and dark brown muscovado sugar together in a bowl until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Mix in the cocoa powder until fully combined.
- In a jug, whisk the eggs and buttermilk until smooth. Slowly pour this into the cocoa mixture while mixing. Sift in the flour and baking soda, folding gently. Add the cola–muscovado mixture and beat until you have a smooth, slightly loose batter.
- Divide the batter between the two tins. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
- For the frosting, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a pan, heat the cola, water, butter, and muscovado sugar until the butter melts and the mixture boils. Pour over the chocolate and leave for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Cover with cling film and chill for about an hour, stirring now and then, until spreadable.
- Once the cakes are cool, slice each one in half to make four layers. Place the first layer on a stand or plate, spread with frosting, and add the next layer. Repeat with the rest, then cover the whole cake with the remaining frosting, smoothing or swirling as you like. Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- Swap regular sugar for coconut sugar to create a lower glycemic index version of the cake, reducing potential blood sugar spikes.
- Use gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly adaptation without compromising the rich chocolate flavor.
- Carefully monitor cake during baking since cola adds extra moisture, potentially extending cooking time by 2-3 minutes depending on oven variations.
- Consider chilling cake layers before frosting to prevent crumbling and ensure smoother chocolate coating application.
- Prep Time: Approximately 20-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 439 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 221 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg