Rich was in the mood for cake.
A cherry chip cake, to be precise.
Simple, no?
Buy the mix, gather the remaining ingredients, make the cake.
But…
None of the several local markets I checked carried the cherry chip cake mix.
What to do?
Well; if my husband wanted cherry cake, dag gummit, he was gonna have cherry cake.
Enter the classic soda cake – where you take a cake mix and 12 ounces of regular soda (don’t try this with diet) – and nothing else – and make a cake.
I decided white cake and an all sugar (no corn sweeteners) Dr. Pepper would work nicely, and I could top it all off with a maraschino cherry buttercream frosting.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
•1 white cake mix
•12 Dr. Pepper
Maraschino Buttercream:
•3 cups confectioners’ sugar
•1 cup butter
•6 tbsp maraschino liquid
•5 or 6 maraschino cherries
•1/8 tsp salt
•1 tsp vanilla extract
Pour the soda over the cake mix in a large bowl and mix according to package instructions.
Transfer the batter into your prepared pan of choice – I went 13×9 for ease of storage and transport – and bake according to package instructions.
Note: just the cake mix and the soda. You do not need to add eggs, oil, or anything else called for on the box.
Once the cake has baked (30 to 35 minutes for a 13×9 pan), transfer to a rack to cool.
Once the cake has cooled, make the buttercream by whipping the butter until it is light and fluffy.
Add the sugar, salt, vanilla, the maraschino liquid, and the cherries and beat until smooth and creamy.
Frost the cake and, if you like, add some red jimmies over the top.
I thought it a nice, light, cherry flavor, and both the cake and the buttercream were a big hit while picnicking at Ravinia later in the week, so now, no cherry chip cake mix?
No problem!