Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake

This easy chocolate cherry coke cake recipe is made with coca cola, cake mix, and maraschino cherries. You will love how moist this cake is.

Do you love cherry Coke? How about chocolate cake? Well, you’re in luck, because I’ve got the perfect recipe for a Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake that is pretty much irresistible.

This coca-cola cake is incredibly moist and fluffy, with a subtle cherry flavor that comes through with a hint of cola.

Plus, it’s easy to make and always a crowd favourite!

Whether you’re looking for a new dessert to add to your repertoire or just need an excuse to have some Coca Cola cake, this recipe is sure to hit the spot. Enjoy!

Why You will Love this Cherry Coke Cake

• Easy to make with a box mix OR from scratch
• Made with maraschino cherries and cola
• Loads of cherry coke flavour.
• Cherry surprise inside!
• Moist and tender crumb.
• Creamy and fluffy cherry buttercream frosting.
• Just the perfect amount of sweetness.

Variations on Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake

• Feel free to add a little cherry extract to the frosting, and/or cola extract to the batter for an extra punch of flavour. The cake as written is very moist and tasty, but the cherry and coke flavours don’t hit very hard. The only way to do that is by using flavour extracts.
• Make it a poke cake. While the cake it still warm, poke holes into the cake with the end of a wooden spoon, then spread the cake over with cherry pie filling. Top the cake with whipped topping.
• Top it with chocolate covered cherries.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake

This easy chocolate cherry cola cake recipe results in a rich cola flavoured chocolate cake with a tender crumb, but you should be aware of some baking basics.

• Make sure NOT to over-mix the batter if you want a light, fluffy cake.
• If you go the route of homemade chocolate cake, be sure to spoon and level your flour.
• Use ingredients that are at room temperature.
• Do NOT open the oven door while baking.
• Allow your cake to completely cool before frosting.

How Long do you Bake a Sheet Cake?

Most sheet cakes bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can test if it is done by sticking a toothpick into the centre of the cake, and if it comes out clean, it’s done.

You can also test by gently pressing down on the cake and looking to see if it bounces back completely or not. If it does, it should be done, if your finger left a dent it needs more time.

How to Store Frosted Cake

To prevent the cake from drying out, store it as you would other baked goods. This cake should last up to three days at normal room temperature covered in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container, and about a week if refrigerated.

If you don’t plan on eating the cherry cola cake within two to three days of baking it, place the unfrosted cake in an airtight container and freeze for up to two months.

Thaw at room temperature for about 5 hours, and frost with delicious cherry frosting when you are ready to serve.

About the Equipment Needed for Making Cupcakes

For making the actual cake batter I usually just use a large mixing bowl, and a whisk since we don’t need to cream butter.

You will need a 13×9-inch cake pan for baking this cake, but you could also use two 8-inch rounds and turn it into a layer cake.

When it comes to the buttercream, I always pull out my stand mixer to make sure I get it super smooth and creamy. A large bowl and a hand mixer works too. You don’t need an electric mixer though, a bowl and whisk is possible, just a lot more effort.

If you go the route of a layer cake you will also need an offset spatula to frost the cake.

About the Ingredients for Cherry Cola Cake

This easy chocolate cherry coke cake is made with simple ingredients to recreate the tasty flavours of cherry coke.

Maraschino cherries – I used two different types of maraschino cherries – the cheaper stemless ones for inside the cake, as well as higher quality stemmed cherries for the garnish. I don’t know why but it has gotten hard to get maraschino cherries with the stems around here. Don’t forget to reserve the syrup for the frosting and the cake batter. You can also use fresh fresh cherries for inside the cake, but you will need a jar of maraschinos for the cherry syrup.

Cake mix – Any chocolate cake mix will work, but I would recommend using devil’s food cake mix for the best flavour. Chocolate boxed cake mix is an easy shortcut for making this delicious cherry coke cake. You can also use your favourite homemade cake recipe and swap the liquids for cola and cherry juice for this delicious cake.

Cola – I used Coca-Cola, but you can use any brand of cola. Dr Pepper works well here too.

Oil – Just neutral flavoured oil. I wouldn’t waste butter here, the chocolate and cola flavours are pretty strong.

Eggs – Make sure you start with room temperature eggs.

Powdered sugar – For making the frosting.

Butter – Softened butter here. You can use unsalted or salted. If you use salted you will want to add a pinch of salt to the frosting.

Garnish – Make your own chocolate shavings for garnishing the cake if you like.

Looking for More Delicious Sheet Cake Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite sheet cakes!

A delicious coconut poke cake recipe that is perfect for any occasion! This easy poke cake is made with coconut milk and shredded coconut.

This carrot sheet cake recipe is easy to make, and looks great on a plate. It’s moist, perfectly spiced, and not to mention, it’s delicious!

What could be more festive this holiday season than this lightly spiced Eggnog Sheet Cake smothered in eggnog cream cheese frosting.

How to Make a Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake

Yields: 12 Servings | Prep time: 25 Minutes | Cook time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 oz Jar Maraschino cherries, drained, ½ cup liquid reserved
• 1 box devils food cake mix
• 1 cup cola
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, room temperature

For the cherry frosting:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup reserved cherry juice
• 12 maraschino cherry with stems, well drained
• Chocolate shavings, if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 13×9-inch cake pan. Set aside.

Chop up the cherries, reserving the maraschino cherry juice.

In a large bowl, beat together the food cake mix, cola, ¼ cup reserved cherry liquid, oil, and eggs until just combined with a whisk.

Stir in chopped cherries.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, cream the butter, then add the icing sugar and mix on low speed.

Add the remaining reserved cherry juice slowly, until the frosting is light and fluffy but holds stiff peaks.

Frost the cake, and top each slice with a cherry with the stem. Sprinkle over with chocolate shavings if desired.