Coca-Cola Cake

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Make the icing a day ahead of time, and keep at room temperature. If you prefer to keep the layers whole for a two-layer cake, you'll need only half the icing.


"My sister, Joanne Gusweiler, is a pastry chef, and like a lot of chefs, she can be a bit temperamental. She once owned a bakery called CocoLuxe in Peapack, NJ. It wasn't an American bakery, but more a French patisserie where she made chocolates, croissants from scratch, tortes and cookies. She used to rant about customers requesting "white" cake - "don't they know that white is not a flavor?" She eventually sold CocoLuxe, but not before she perfected her Coca-Cola Cake. She had lived in Atlanta for a short time and had fallen in love with the rich chocolate cake that calls for the city's famous soda. Marshmallows and soda pop may seem like odd ingredients for a pastry chef to use, but in the South, they're the real thing."

Jill Melton

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  • 24

Ingredients

  • Cake:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (1.5 ounces) mini marshmallows
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup Coca-Cola, not diet
  • 2 1/3 cups (12 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 extra large eggs
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • Icing:
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) butter
  • 1/2 cup Coca-Cola, not diet
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
  • 1 1/4 pounds powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 F.

To prepare cake, melt butter in saucepan, add marshmallows and stir until melted. Add chocolate and stir over low heat until melted. Add Coca-Cola, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Place sugar, oil and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cooled chocolate mixture and beat on low until combined. Add half the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then the remaining flour. Scrape down sides of bowl after each addition.

Scrape into 2 (8- or 9-inch) cake pans. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until cake springs back when touched lightly. Cool on wire racks. When completely cool, slice each layer in half horizontally, to make 4 layers.

To prepare icing, cream butter in bowl using a mixer until smooth. Add Coca-Cola and vanilla. Mix on low speed until blended. Add cocoa powder and chocolate. Mix until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time on low speed. Keeping mixer on low speed, beat until smooth. Best if made one day ahead of when needed.

Place 1 layer on a plate. Ice top. Repeat with remaining three layers and ice sides.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving
521 calories
33 g fat
92 mg cholesterol
251 mg sodium
59 g carbohydrates
4 g fiber
4.5 g protein

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