Recipe Background
The-Real-Thing Sheet Cake: A cola-infused delight perfect for neighborly bonding.
I remember the first time I truly felt at home after moving to a new town. It was during a lazy Sunday afternoon when I had the wild idea to bake a cake for my neighbors. Armed with a recipe I scribbled on the back of a grocery receipt, I set about my mission. A can of cola found its unlikely place among familiar allies in my pantry: flour, granulated sugar, and cocoa powder. I’d always been skeptical about using soda in baking, but it turns out that bubbly concoction was just what I needed. Maybe it was the cola's fizzy zest or the indulgent richness from the butter, but my kitchen filled with an inviting aroma that felt like a warm hug.
Once the cake was cool enough, I began simmering more cola for the frosting. Watching it reduce into a thick, sweet elixir was oddly satisfying. As the frosting enveloped the cake, I made sure to let it set before slicing—patience, I learned, results in perfect squares that don't crumble under the knife. The anticipation built as the sugary potion seeped into every pore of the cake. That evening, I knocked on my neighbor's door, offering a tray of 'welcome to the neighborhood' slices. The compliments flowed as freely as the cola, and from that point on, I became known as the 'cake magician' around the block.
Each bite was a reminder that a simple act of baking could transform a bunch of strangers into friends. The lesson? Sometimes life hands you cola and butter, and you should definitely make a cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 (12-ounce) can regular cola
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 (12-ounce) can regular cola plus more, to taste
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
- 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the granulated sugar and the flour and whisk to combine.
- In a medium, high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1/2 cup of the butter, the canola oil, 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder, and 1 can of the cola and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Transfer the cola mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to combine.
- In a small bowl, add the baking soda and the buttermilk and whisk until the baking soda dissolves.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the batter mixture and whisk to combine.
- Add the eggs and the vanilla extract to the batter mixture and whisk to combine.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking dish and bake until the center is set and a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
- Sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl.
- In a small, high-sided saucepan over high heat, add the remaining cola and bring to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 12-15 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining butter and the remaining cocoa powder to the cola mixture, and whisk constantly until the butter has melted.
- Add the cola mixture to the confectioners' sugar and whisk until it's smooth and pourable. Add more of the cola if needed, if the frosting is too thick.
- Immediately pour the frosting over the warm cake and let the frosting completely set.
- Slice and serve.
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