Food and Recipes Recipes 15 Recipes That Start With a Can of Soda By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna Sims is a Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and ideates content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 4, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Shikha Singh These recipes are here to prove that sodas aren't just for drinking. They can also be used for cooking, baking, and slow cooking. In the South, sodas are often the not-so-secret ingredient in a range of recipes, both savory and sweet. We're sure you've heard of adding soda to cakes like Coca-Cola Cake and 7UP Bundt Cake, but soda can also be used in savory recipes like Braised Cola-and-Bourbon Brisket and Instant Pot BBQ Chicken. You'll find each of these recipes and many more in our collection of recipes you can make with a can of soda. You'll find a variety of sodas on the ingredient list for these recipes, from classic cola and lemon-lime flavored sodas to distinctly Southern favorites like Dr Pepper and Cheerwine. No matter what your favorite soda is, we're sure you'll find a new way to enjoy it with one of these delicious recipes. 01 of 15 Dr Pepper Texas Sheet Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Dr Pepper Texas Sheet Cake We're always looking for more ways to enjoy Dr Pepper and a rich chocolate sheet cake will certainly do. 02 of 15 Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Coca-Cola comes together with ketchup, spices, and apple cider vinegar to create a a homemade sauce for tender chicken cooked up in your favorite multicooker. 03 of 15 Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake You'll find cola in both the cake layers and icing of this chocolate dessert. 04 of 15 Cherry Cola Salad Jennifer Causey Recipe: Cherry Cola Salad Originally appearing in the pages of Southern Living in 1980, this congealed salad makes use of an entire can of soda with black cherry-flavored and raspberry-flavored gelatin. 05 of 15 Braised Cola-and-Bourbon Brisket Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman Recipe: Braised Cola-and-Bourbon Brisket Our test kitchen suggests this recipe will be even more delicious if made one or two days in advance of serving. 06 of 15 Dr Pepper Brownies Shikha Singh Recipe: Dr Pepper Brownies You'll want to grab your favorite 9- x 9-inch pan and whip up these easy homemade brownies immediately, 07 of 15 Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Using a slow cooker just may be the easiest way to serve up barbecue chicken. 08 of 15 7UP Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: 7UP Bundt Cake Cake made with the lemon-lime soft drink 7UP is one of the most famous recipes using soda. 09 of 15 Nehi Orange Poke Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Nehi Orange Poke Cake In this recipe, you'll find Nehi orange soda in the curd that is poured over the cake layer. 10 of 15 Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce Southern Living Recipe: Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce This recipe just may be your new favorite BBQ sauce. Plus, you probably already have all of the ingredients on hand in your pantry. 11 of 15 Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting Inspired by the flavors of the North Carolina cherry-flavored soda, these Cheerwine cupcakes start with packaged white cake mix. 12 of 15 Sloppy Cola Joe Dogs Melina Hammer Recipe: Sloppy Cola Joe Dogs A spicy, fruity cola like Dr Pepper adds a sweeter flavor to a classic Sloppy Joe mixture. 13 of 15 Cream Soda Confetti Sheet Cake with Strawberry-Sour Cream Buttercream Greg DuPree Recipe: Cream Soda Confetti Sheet Cake with Strawberry-Sour Cream Buttercream Cream soda, colorful sprinkles, and freeze-dried strawberries add fun color and flavor to this sheet cake. 14 of 15 Georgia Peanut Pie With Coca-Cola Glaze Southern Living Recipe: Georgia Peanut Pie With Coca-Cola Glaze We've taken the classic snack of peanuts and Coca-Cola and turned it into a pie. 15 of 15 Ginger Ale-Can Chicken Recipe: Ginger Ale-Can Chicken Ginger ale is the secret ingredient to keeping chicken moist during the baking process. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit