This copycat Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake recipe is the ultimate chocolate lover’s dream. It’s rich, fudgy, and topped with a glossy Coca-Cola chocolate icing that melts right on top of the cake. It pretty much brings your favorite restaurant's dessert to your home with such simple steps!
Every time we eat at Cracker Barrel, there’s one thing I always have to get, no matter how full I am: their Coca-Cola Cake. To me, it’s the perfect ending to a comfort-food meal, and honestly, it’s one of those desserts that sticks with you long after the last bite. The soft, warm cake with the gooey chocolate frosting is absolute perfection.
After one too many cravings between visits, I finally decided to recreate this Southern classic in my kitchen. I tested a few different versions, tweaked some ingredients and played with the frosting until I finally got the recipe right. And my goodness, it’s so good! This rich and fudgy Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake copycat brings that same nostalgia and indulgence but from the comfort of home.
WHAT MAKES THIS CRACKER BARREL COCA-COLA CAKE RECIPE IRRESISTIBLE?
Whether you’re hosting a family gathering, craving something sweet on a weeknight, or just looking for a rich dessert that everyone will go crazy for, this decadent cake is it. It’s easy to make, uses pantry staples, and tastes even better the next day (if there’s any left, that is!). Use it as a birthday cake, for celebrating a holiday, or pass it out during a game-day.
Once I perfected my take on this Cracker Barrel classic, I knew I had a keeper of a recipe. And it sits on top of my favorites like my copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf or even this strawberry cake with strawberry filling.
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS COPYCAT CRACKER BARREL COCA-COLA CAKE RECIPE
Here's the list of what you'll need to make this Cracker Barrel Copycat Coca-Cola Cake. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
For the Cake
- All-purpose flour: is the base for our cake, giving it structure.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the cake and helps create a tender crumb.
- Regular Coca-Cola: adds moisture, a light caramel flavor, and that signature Cracker Barrel taste.
- Unsalted butter + Vegetable oil: mixture for a cake with ultra-moist texture.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: adds depth of flavor in the chocolate cake batter.
- Buttermilk: gives a bit of tang and keeps the cake super soft.
- Large Eggs: binds everything together and helps the cake rise.
- Baking soda: is the leavening agent that reacts with the buttermilk and Coke, raising the cake.
- Vanilla Extract: rounds out the flavors.
- Salt: enhances the chocolate's flavor and the overall sweetness of the cake.
For the Fudge Frosting
- Unsalted butter: is the base for a rich, glossy icing. Make sure it's in room temperature before using it.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: enhances the cake's overall chocolate flavor!
- Coca-Cola: keeps the frosting smooth and adds that unique flavor.
- Powdered sugar: renders the icing a sweet, smooth, and glossy characteristic.
- Vanilla extract: adds depth and flavor, just like in the cake.
Since you're here I know you'll also love this banana biscoff cake!
HOW TO MAKE THIS CRACKER BARREL COCA-COLA CAKE RECIPE
Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full step-by-step instructions.
1. Prep the oven and pan: To start, preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or pan with nonstick spray.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: Next, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Boil the Coke mixture: Then, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the Coca-Cola, butter, vegetable oil, and unsweetened cocoa powder to a boil. Pour this hot mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Add wet ingredients: Once the Coke mixture is mixed with the dry ingredients, stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth.
5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Make the frosting: Meanwhile, bring the butter, cocoa powder, and Coca-Cola to a light boil in a small saucepan. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Remove the butter mixture from the heat then pour into the powdered sugar. Mix well with an electric mixer.
7. Frost the warm cake: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm frosting over the hot cake. Make sure that the entire cake is covered with the frosting. Let it sit and soak in before slicing into individual slices.
TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE THIS COCA-COLA CAKE COPYCAT RECIPE
- Use regular Coke. Diet Coke or Zero Sugar won't give the same flavor and texture.
- Frost the cake while it's warm. This will allow the fudgy frosting to melt slightly on top of the warm cake.
- Don’t skip the buttermilk. Adding half of a cup buttermilk makes a big difference in the cake’s tenderness.
- Cool completely before storing. This helps the frosting set and keeps the texture to be just right.
- Serve warm (or microwave leftovers before enjoying again!). A few seconds in the microwave makes the cake taste like it's freshly baked.
WHY YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
This recipe is pure comfort food and an all-around best dessert. It’s simple to whip up and uses pantry-friendly ingredients. Plus, it's so nostalgic and reminiscent of a Texas Sheet Cake. If you’re a fan of chocolate, Coca-Cola, or just a really good cake, you won’t want to miss this one. The best part is, it’s the kind of dessert that wins over everyone, from kids to grandparents. So if there aren't any Cracker Barrel Restaurants near you, try this recipe out.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's)
I would recommend sticking to regular Coke for the best flavor and texture.
Adding buttermilk adds moisture and acidity. If you don't have any, add ½ cup milk and 1½ teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Then, let it sit for 5 minutes.
Yes, you can! In fact, it even tastes better the next day.
Yes! Once it's fully cooled, slice the finished Copycat Cracker Barrell Coca-Cola Cake recipe into smaller slices.
For easy storage, place the cake slices in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
A 9x13 pan works best. But, you can alternatively use round pans if you want to do a layered cake. Just adjust the baking time.
Unsweetened cocoa powder works great for this recipe. Don't use Dutch-processed cocoa.
You can, but the cake doesn't really need it as it's already fudgy. Instead, you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream when you're about to serve it. The ice cream compliments the flavors really nicely.
Yes! You can try this recipe using Root Beer or Cherry Coke for a fun flavor switch up.
The Best Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake Recipe
Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup Coca-Cola regular not diet
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring Coca-Cola, butter, oil, and cocoa powder to a boil.1 cup Coca-Cola, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pour the hot mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, mix until smooth.½ cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the Frosting:
- In a saucepan, bring butter, cocoa powder, and Coca-Cola to a light boil.½ cup unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
- Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla until smooth.4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour warm frosting over the cake while it's still warm for the best texture. Allow the icing to set, slice and enjoy!
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