I’m not even the biggest fan of cake.

There, I said it.

Give me a chocolate chip cookie, a jelly-filled doughnut, or a key lime pie any day. But cake? Most of the time I’ll pass. Unless the cake is in cupcake form, filled, frosted, sprinkled, drizzled, and topped with a freaking cherry (like the cupcake I’m about to share later this month).

But yeah, typically cake is not something that I look for in a dessert. I even request a key lime pie every year for my birthday.

And to be honest, the first time I made a cola cake, I had no interest in trying it again.

But I did.

And I am SO glad.

This cake is simple – so simple you don’t even have to frost it. I mean, not in the traditional sense. It has an utterly amazing boiled frosting that sets up like fudge on top of a warm cake.

Talk about heaven.

It’s every chocolate lover’s dream. Chocolatey. Fudgy. Rich.

And that’s all that matters, right?

Full disclosure: I actually made this recipe last summer when I started creating small batch desserts, and had every intention of sharing it, but then life got into the way. And it’s too good to not share. So here we are – better late than never!

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Small-batch Coca Cola Cake

serves 6

for the cake

• 1/2 c. + 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. unsalted butter
• 1/3 c. Coke Zero*
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp. milk**
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

for the frosting

• 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. milk**
• 1 1/3 c. powder sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 6″ x 9″ baker (a standard loaf pan will also work). Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, Coke Zero, and oil. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium sized bowl.

Pour the boiled cola mixture into the flour mixture and mix together until combined.

Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Make the frosting immediately after removing the cake from the oven. Combine the butter, cocoa powder, and milk into a small saucepan and heat up until just boiling. Remove from the heat and add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth, then pour and spread evenly onto the warm cake. Let the cake cool to room temperature.

* Regular Coca Cola or Diet Coke will also work for this recipe.

** I used almond milk because that’s typically what we have on hand, but whole milk, buttermilk, and low-fat milk will also work.