And to think, this cake almost didn’t happen.
A big chunk of family was coming, some last minute, for the weekend and, while I had the meals pretty well planned, and fruit and bakery cookies and other munchies all in stock; something was telling me I might want to make a cake.
So, I grabbed a red velvet cake mix and a bottle of Mexican Coke (it’s made with all sugar) from the pantry and set to work.
Note: Mexican Coke can be found, at least around about here, in glass bottles in the Hispanic Foods aisle in most markets. A lot of markets also carry Mexican versions of Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, and others, too.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
•1 box red velvet cake mix
•12 oz Coca Cola*
Buttercream Frosting:
•1 cup unsalted butter, softened
•1 tsp vanilla
•1/8 tsp salt
•1/8 tsp black pepper
•3 cups confectioners’ sugar
•2 tbsp whipping cream or half and half
*When I first came across this “cake mix + soda” method, it was recommended to only use ‘regular’ – not lite or diet sodas; but since that time, I have seen posts using both options and, while not my preference, if you want to go that way, let your freak fly.
Heat your oven to 350º (or whatever the directions on your cake mix calls for) and apply cooking spray to your chosen baking pan(s). I went with a 13×9 pan because, large-ish group of family and all that.
Pour the Coke into the cake mix in a large bowl and mix according to package instructions, scraping the bowl as needed.
Note: truly, all you need is the cake mix and the 12 ounces of Coke. Fergettabout the eggs and the oil and whatever else.
Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan(s) and bake according to the instructions on your cake mix box; about 35 minutes for this 13×9 pan.
When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool on a rack.
Once the cake is cooled, make the frosting by beating the softened butter until creamy, then add the vanilla, salt and pepper.
Note: if you are not using unsalted butter, you can skip the salt; but please consider keeping that bit of black pepper. I think it helps to bring out the flavor in the frosting.
Slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar until well blended, then beat in the cream or half and half until the frosting is the consistency you like for spreading.
Note: feel free to add more confectioners’ sugar and cream or half and half to make more frosting. You could also beat in a bit of softened cream cheese with the butter.
Cake made and frosted, and, good thing too!
The last brother-in-law I would’ve expected to had a piece the night they arrived, and then after just about every meal of the weekend, and most of the rest of the family followed suit, so, this 13×9 cake was well and truly gone in a little over two days.
I like that in a cake.