Everything Old is New Again: Dr. Pepper Cake!

A fabulous contest is being held by the DomesticMuse right now, a vintage recipe showdown with really neat aprons up for grabs! Any of you Southerners out there might be familiar with what I choose to make, Dr. Pepper Cake (and some of you Yankees might know it as Coke Cake). A delicious, fudgy, rich and completely decadant chocolate cake that is a throw back to bake sales of yore, the Dr. Pepper cake holds a special place in my heart and in those of my family and friends. My best friend for instance has been known to make special stops in West, Texas to pick up Dr. Pepper cake for her step-daughter, my boyfriend on the other hand acted as though it was Christmas when I told him I'd made the cake (and had one for him)! Needless to say, it's a favorite through and through and is something I highly recommend to any choc-o-holic out there!

Dr. Pepper Cake:

*This makes three 8 inch round cakes

Cake:
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
3 Cups Sugar
4 1/2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 Cups flat Dr. Pepper (none of that diet stuff!)
1 1/2 Cups Butter or Margerine
1 Cup Buttermilk
3 Eggs, Well Beaten
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Frosting:
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Sticks Butter or Margerine
9 Tbsp Flat Dr. Pepper
4.5 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
6 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Chopped, Toasted Pecans
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Cakes:
1. Preheat Oven to 350 F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda in mixing bowl.
3. Combine Dr. Pepper and butter in saucepan and bring to a boil.
4. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to blend. Mix in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Batter will be thin.
5. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake 38-45 minutes, until a toothpick can go into the center and come out clean.
6. Let cool 15 minutes, then spread warm frosting over the cakes.

Frosting:
1. Combine butter, cola, cocoa and sweetened condensed milk in saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Pour chocolate chips into pan (after turning off the heat) and mix well.
3. Pour over powdered sugar and blend until smooth. Stir in pecans.
4. Use while warm.

**For those seeking the nostalgia of a Coke cake, you can swap out a can of Coke for the Dr. Pepper but do not use diet.




I served mine with sliced strawberries and inside the container was this whopper of a berry!