Dr Pepper Cake with Chocolate Cherry Icing
This Dr Pepper cake is a fun and retro recipe that always gets rave reviews. It’s made with a simple chocolate cake mix, Dr Pepper soda, and a handful of maraschino cherries for an extra pop of flavor. Topped with a warm boiled chocolate icing, this cake is fudgy, rich, and a little nostalgic.
Servings: 15 pieces
Calories: 270Kcal
Ingredients
For the Dr Pepper Cake
- 1 Packaage Chocolate Cake Mix I used Betty Crocker but any brand will work.
- 1 Cup Dr. Pepper Soda regular, not diet
- 3 Large Eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil other neutral oils like canola work
- ½ cup Maraschino Cherries chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Maraschino Cherry juice from the maraschino cherry jar. If you don't have any, just substitute water.
For the Boiled Icing
- ½ Cup butter unsalted
- ¼ Cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ Cup Dr Pepper Soda
- 3½ Cups Powdered Sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Optional Chocolate Sprinkles for garnish
- Optional Maraschino cherries for colorful garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, Dr Pepper, eggs, and oil. Beat on medium speed for a couple of minutes until smooth.
- Fold in chopped cherries and cherry juice.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes while you prepare the icing.
For the Boiled Icing
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in cocoa powder and Dr Pepper. Bring mixture just to a gentle boil, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Immediately whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the warm icing evenly over the slightly cooled cake. It will set into a fudgy layer as it cools. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles and whole cherries if desired.
Notes
Tips for Boiled Icing
- As soon as you remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla. The icing should be smooth and pourable.
- Immediately pour it over the cake while the cake is still warm (not hot).
- Tilt the pan slightly to help the icing flow evenly across the surface. You can use a spatula to nudge it into the corners gently, but don’t try to spread it like buttercream—it sets fast and will lose its glossy finish if overworked.
- Within 10–15 minutes, the icing firms up into a shiny layer.
How to Store
Once cooled, cover the Dr Pepper Cake tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm, you can refrigerate the cake instead - it will keep for about 5 days. Just bring it to room temperature before serving so the icing softens again and the flavor shines through. For longer storage, either:
1. Cover the Dr Pepper Cake tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container
2. Cut into servings and wrap each serving in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
Nutrition (estimate)
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 270Kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.4mg