Today’s Root Beer Chocolate Cake is a riff on the American classic Coca Cola cake. A favorite of southern bakers for decades, it first appeared shortly after the end of World War II in the 1950s. I wonder if returning GIs wanted that “taste of home” added to their desserts?
The first recorded cakes that include Coke showed up in the early 1950s and were popular for many years. Their popularity faded for a while and then in the 1990s they started popping up again. In the 2000s they started multiplying on popular blogs and have become a standard again.
I prefer root beer to Coke so making the switch for the recipe was a natural one for me. You can also use Dr. Pepper or any other favorite soda in your own cake. Which one would you use?
I love a good chocolate cake and this one doesn’t disappoint. The Artist wasn’t completely sold on the idea of using root beer but he quickly became a convert, LOL. The soda adds an extra level of sweetness to the cake which is balanced by the unsweetened cocoa powder.
Another favorite ingredient is the buttermilk. I love the tenderness that buttermilk gives baked goods and, in this case, the slight sourness also balances the sweetness of the soda. If you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge, you can always add vinegar to half & half or milk until it curdles and thickens, usually 1-1/2 tsp per cup is enough but use your best judgment. I never measure, I go by the consistency, trying to match real buttermilk as closely as possible.
The original recipe had cinnamon and nutmeg in it in addition to the ginger. I chose not to include them, wanting the flavor of the root beer and chocolate to be in the forefront. If you want to include them, add them to the dry ingredients (1 tsp each).
And there is no worrying about softening butter ahead of time with this recipe! All the butter is melted before being combined with the rest of the ingredients to create a lush and delicate cake and glaze.
I hope you will try this Root Beer Chocolate Cake soon and enjoy every bite.
Have a wonderful week!
Key Ingredients for Root Beer Chocolate Cake:
- All-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- Granulated, brown sugar, and confectioners’ sugar
- Baking soda, salt, vanilla
- Root beer
- Unsalted butter
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Fresh ginger, grated
PRO Tip:
For more information on the history of the coca cola cake, see this article at What’s Cooking America.
How to make Root Beer Chocolate Cake:
- Make the Cake: Mix together the flour, sugars, baking soda and salt; in another bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla
- In a saucepan melt the butter with the root beer and cocoa powder; cool 5 minutes the pour into the flour mixture and beat till smooth; add the egg/buttermilk mixture and mix until incorporated
- Pour into a prepared pan (9×13 or 10-inch bundt pan) and bake for 35 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs
- Prepare the Glaze: Melt the butter with the root beer and cocoa powder, whisking until smooth; beat in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt with a mixer until smooth and glossy; spread over the cake while still warm and sprinkle with coconut if using
Kitchen Tools I Use to Make This Recipe (affiliate links):
Gluten-Free Tips:
Use a homemade gluten-free flour blend or commercial blend such as Bob Red Mill’s 1-to-1 Baking Flour or GF Jules All Purpose Gluten Free Flour using 120 grams per cup of flour called for in recipes.
Root Beer Chocolate Cake with Root Beer Glaze (GF)
The classic coca cola cake has been given a slight twist by using root beer. Rich and indulgent, this cake is perfect for casual gatherings and birthday or dinner parties.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2-1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 1-1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (106g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cups (340g) root beer
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 227g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (113g) buttermilk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Glaze
- 1/4 cup root beer
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick; 57g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (227g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1/4 tsp salt
Topping
- Sweetened shredded coconut, optional as a garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 9x13-inch pan or 10-inch bundt pan (using gluten-free flour if needed). Note: If using a bundt pan, choose one that is not too detailed as this cake is rather delicate and may not release easily from a complicated design.
- Make the Cake: In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Grate the fresh ginger into the egg mixture, whisk to break up any clumps, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the root beer, butter, and cocoa powder to a boil, stirring occasionally until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Pour into the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add the egg/buttermilk mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it will be very thin) and bake for 35 minutes for a 9x13-inch pan or 50 to 55 minutes for a bundt pan, or until the edge of the cake begins to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cake from the oven. Place the 9x13-inch pan on a cooling rack and set aside. The rectangular cake will cool in the pan. If you are using a bundt pan place a cooling rack on top of pan, and very carefully turn the cake and rack over together so that the cake remains in the pan and is resting on the rack. Place a sheet of parchment or waxed paper beneath the cooling rack to catch drips from the glaze. Wait 15 minutes, then carefully lift the pan off the cake, jiggling gently if needed to release from the pan. While the cake is still hot, make the glaze.
- Prepare the Glaze: Bring the root beer to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, then beat in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer until smooth and glossy.
- Immediately spread over the top of the cake while still warm. Sprinkle the top with the coconut if using. Set the cake aside to cool and let the glaze harden.
- Store leftover cake, well wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for several days. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
Modified from a recipe on the King Arthur Flour website, originally from Carla Hall
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 357mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 7g
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This post was first shared in Jan 2018. The article was updated in 2020.
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Jean, Lemons & Anchovies
Since root beer was my childhood favorite soda this cake hits all the right notes with me. And it looks so easy, too. 🙂
Jane Bonacci
I love root beer too Jean, and I loved having the extra soda left over for sipping!!