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Coca-Cola Sheet Cake

Butter Your Biscuit — Cracker Barrel Copycat

This Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake is a rich, fudgy copycat version of Cracker Barrel's sheet cake made with real Coca-Cola in both the cake and the frosting.

Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Servings
12

Ingredients

Equipment

Cake

Frosting

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. *see note 1
    Lightly grease a 9"x13" cake pan and set aside.
  2. In a small pot, add the butter, then add 9 oz of Coca-Cola and ½ cup cocoa powder and whisk together.
    Bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking frequently.
    Once it begins to bubble, remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and baking soda together to combine with a flat whisk or spatula.
  4. Slowly pour the cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  5. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract, and mix again until no dry items remain.
  6. Pour into the prepared 9"x13" pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    The top should look set and no longer glossy/wet, and the edges will just start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
    Set aside in a ventilated area to cool to room temperature.

Frosting

  1. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add ½ cup (1 stick) butter and melt.
    Add ½ cup cocoa and the remaining 3 oz of Coca-Cola and bring to a low boil.
  2. Once it boils, remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until smooth.
    Let the frosting sit for about 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly.
  3. Pour the frosting over the cake and spread.
    Let the frosted cake set for 1 hour.
    Refrigeration is optional, room temperature is best.

Notes

  1. Use a metal 9"x13" pan for the most even bake — glass and disposable foil both work, with some adjustments.
    • Metal: matches the bake time as written (350°F, 20-25 minutes) and bakes most evenly.
    • Glass: holds heat longer, so lower the oven to 325°F or start checking for doneness a few minutes early.
    • Disposable foil: fine for potlucks or tailgates, but the thin metal bakes less evenly and flexes a lot — handle carefully moving it in and out of the oven while full of batter.
  2. I prefer Mexican Coca-Cola.
    • It's made with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, giving a cleaner, less corn-syrupy sweetness in both the cake and frosting — the acidity that reacts with the baking soda is the same either way, so it swaps in with no issues.
    • Cherry Coke is also an interesting option: the cherry note plays nicely against the chocolate for a bit of fruity depth, and it's still full-sugar, so it behaves the same in the recipe.
    • Avoid diet or zero sugar sodas, though — the alternative sweeteners can alter the flavor and consistency of both the cake and frosting.
  3. Once the frosting has fully set, cover the cake tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days.
  4. Use natural (non-Dutched) cocoa powder rather than Dutch-processed.
    Natural cocoa is acidic and reacts with the baking soda for proper lift and flavor; Dutch-process is alkalized and gives a milder, darker result more suited to a different style of cake.
  5. Let the eggs and buttermilk come to room temperature before mixing them in (about 20-30 minutes on the counter).
    Adding them cold can cause the batter to seize slightly when combined with the hot cocoa mixture, leading to a lumpier, less smooth batter.
  6. If the frosting comes out too thick to pour and spread easily, whisk in a splash of milk or Coca-Cola.
    If it's too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar until it reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
  7. The cake cuts more cleanly once the frosting has fully set for the full hour; slices cut while still warm will be looser and messier, though still delicious.
  8. This cake freezes well: wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
    Thaw at room temperature before serving.
  9. The recipe is written for salted butter.
    We typically use unsalted, so add a small pinch of salt to both the batter and the frosting to make up the difference.
  10. No buttermilk on hand? Substitute ½ cup milk mixed with ½ tsp vinegar or lemon juice; let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
  11. Spoon the flour, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping directly from the container.
    Scooping packs the flour down and can lead to a denser, drier cake, or a stiffer frosting.