10 Soda Cakes That'll Take You Right Back to Your Childhood

By Zoe Denenberg

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Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Soda cakes are a historic staple of Southern baking, and now they can be a part of your own family baking tradition. Featuring beverages like Coca-Cola, 7UP, Cheerwine, Cream Soda, and more, these cake recipes incorporate some of your favorite soft drinks into elegant desserts. These cakes are packed full of nostalgic flavors that'll take you right back to hot childhood days by the pool, afternoons at the roller rink, and family pizza dinners. Kids and adults alike will love the subtle, sugary flavor soft drinks bring to these cakes. Although we love adding soda to our cake for its robust flavor alone, the soft drinks are also key in keeping these cakes moist and delightfully airy. The carbonation helps the cakes to rise, acting as a leavening agent in the desserts. So whether you like vanilla or chocolate, layer cakes or sheet cakes, these soda cake recipes have something for you.

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10 Soda Cakes That'll Take You Right Back to Your Childhood

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Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake
Recipe: Fudgy Coca Cola Cake Frosting

Coca-Cola adds moisture and a light, airy texture to this decadent chocolate layer cake. Pair with Fudgy Coca-Cola Frosting for the ultimate throwback treat.

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Dr Pepper Texas Sheet Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Dr Pepper Texas Sheet Cake

The classic Texas Sheet Cake gets a sweet upgrade with the addition of fizzy Dr Pepper. The soda's subtly spicy cherry flavor goes well with the cake's combination of pecan and chocolate.

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Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting
Recipe: Cherry-Swirl Frosting

Cheerwine is one of those sodas that's distinctly Southern. Starting with a base of boxed white cake mix, these cupcakes are refreshingly easy to make and take on an absolutely gorgeous pink color.

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Nehi Orange Poke Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Nehi Orange Poke Cake

A zingy orange curd made with Georgia's favorite soda brings bright, acidic flavor to this poke cake. Adding sour cream to the cake batter helps make the cake extra-soft and fluffy.

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Coca-Cola Sheet Cake

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Coca-Cola Sheet Cake

This Coca-Cola Sheet Cake is a great way to feed a crowd. Adding mini marshmallows directly into the cake batter helps the cake maintain its moist, fluffy texture while also bringing a pop of sweetness.

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Peanut-Cola Cake

Credit: Photo: Ian Bagwell; Prop Styling: Annette Joseph; Food Styling: Cynthia Groseclose

Recipe: Peanut-Cola Cake

Take me out to the ball game. This cake combines two of our favorite ballpark treats – honey-roasted peanuts and Coca-Cola – into a decadent dessert.

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Cream Soda Confetti Sheet Cake

Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cream Soda Confetti Sheet Cake

The distinctive sweet flavor of cream soda sponge meets fresh strawberry icing in this playful confetti cake. It's sure to be a hit at any child's birthday party– and with its nostalgic flavors, all the adults will be asking for a slice, too.

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Mini Bourbon-and-Cola Bundt Cakes

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Mini Bourbon-and-Cola Bundt Cakes

Transform Dad's favorite drink into elegant, bite-sized desserts with these miniature Bourbon-and-Cola Bundt Cakes. They're the perfect addition to any party spread.

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Coca-Cola Cake

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Coca-Cola Cake

Coca-Cola is the perfect summer refresher, and the classic soda undoubtedly stars in this simple Coca-Cola Cake.

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7-UP Bundt Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: 7-UP Bundt Cake
Recipe: Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe: Sugared Lemon-Lime Zest

Bundt cakes are notoriously dense and heavy, but lemon-lime soda adds lightness to this nostalgic Bundt cake. Top with thick ribbons of Lemon-Lime Cream Cheese Frosting and sophisticated Sugared Lemon-Lime Zest for an elegant, playful presentation.

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By Zoe Denenberg