Cherry Cola Chocolate Cake

# Components:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box chocolate cake mix (approximately 15 oz)

02 - 3 large eggs

03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil

04 - 1 cup cherry cola (regular, not diet)

→ Filling

05 - 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (3 oz)

06 - 2 cups cold cherry cola

→ Topping

07 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream

08 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar

09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10 - 1 can cherry pie filling (about 21 oz) or fresh pitted cherries

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly.

02 - In a large bowl, blend the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and cherry cola until smooth. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.

03 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

04 - Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes spaced approximately 3/4 inch apart across the surface.

05 - Whisk the instant chocolate pudding mix and cold cherry cola together in a medium bowl for 2 minutes until thickened.

06 - Carefully spread or pour the pudding mixture over the cake, making sure it seeps into all the holes.

07 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the pudding is set and the cake is fully chilled.

08 - In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

09 - Spread the whipped cream evenly over the chilled cake, then top with cherry pie filling or fresh cherries before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

The cola makes the chocolate flavor sing and the crumb incredibly moist—trust me, it’s like a bakery hack you’ll keep forever.
It’s practically crowd-proof: every time I bring this to a party, the pan returns empty.

02 -

Once, I poked the holes too shallowly and the pudding just floated on top—press the spoon handle down about two-thirds of the way.
Switching to homemade whipped cream (instead of tubbed topping) made the whole thing taste like a bakery treat.

03 -