This Dr Pepper Cherry Cake is a delightful twist on traditional chocolate cake that will have your taste buds dancing with joy! The unique combination of Dr Pepper Cherry soda and chocolate creates a moist, flavorful cake with the perfect hint of cherry. Topped with a rich, velvety frosting that’s poured over while the cake is still warm, this dessert is truly something special. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or when you simply need to satisfy your sweet tooth without spending hours in the kitchen!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredibly Moist: The Dr Pepper Cherry soda does something magical to the texture of this cake, keeping it moist for days (if it lasts that long!).
Unique Flavor Profile: The subtle cherry notes from the soda blend perfectly with the chocolate, creating a flavor combination that’s both familiar and excitingly different.
Super Simple: Don’t let the impressive results fool you – this cake comes together quickly with basic pantry ingredients and minimal effort.
Crowd-Pleaser: I’ve never met anyone who could resist a slice of this cake. It’s especially popular with kids and anyone who loves the nostalgic taste of Dr Pepper Cherry.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cake:

All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cake, providing structure while maintaining tenderness.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create that perfect crumb texture.
Baking soda: Our leavening agent that reacts with the acidic ingredients to help the cake rise beautifully.
Butter: Adds richness and helps create that melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re looking for.
Dr Pepper Cherry: The star ingredient! Brings moisture, sweetness, and that distinctive cherry flavor.
Cocoa powder: Provides the chocolate flavor that pairs so wonderfully with the cherry notes.
Buttermilk: Adds tenderness and tanginess that balances the sweetness perfectly.
Eggs: Bind everything together and add structure to our cake.
Vanilla: Enhances all the other flavors and adds depth.

For the Frosting:

Butter: Creates a rich, smooth base for our frosting.
Cocoa powder: For that chocolatey goodness that complements the cake.
Milk: Helps achieve the perfect pourable consistency.
Vanilla: Rounds out the flavor profile beautifully.
Confectioners’ sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet frosting that sets up perfectly on the warm cake.

Variations

Looking to put your own spin on this Dr Pepper Cherry Cake? Here are some tasty ideas:

Cherry Explosion: Add a cup of chopped maraschino cherries to the batter for extra cherry flavor and pretty pops of color.
Nutty Twist: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the frosting while it’s still warm for a delightful crunch.
Spice It Up: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake batter for a Mexican chocolate-inspired flavor profile.
White Chocolate Wonder: Stir in a cup of white chocolate chips to the batter before baking for sweet, creamy bursts throughout the cake.
Different Soda: Try using regular Dr Pepper, Cherry Coke, or even root beer for a different flavor profile while keeping the same amazing texture.

How to Make Dr Pepper Cherry Cake

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 cake pan with nonstick spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and baking soda until well combined.

Step 2: Create the Chocolate-Soda Mixture

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and Dr Pepper Cherry. Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent scorching. The aroma that fills your kitchen during this step is absolutely heavenly!

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Pour the hot chocolate-soda mixture over your dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The heat from the liquid mixture will slightly dissolve the sugar, giving your cake an incredible texture.

Step 4: Add Remaining Ingredients

Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla to your batter and mix until everything is well incorporated. The batter will be somewhat thin, but don’t worry – that’s exactly what we want for a moist, tender cake.

Step 5: Bake the Cake

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The cake will rise beautifully and fill your home with the most amazing chocolate-cherry aroma.

Step 6: Prepare the Frosting

While the cake is baking, place the confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and milk, whisking until smooth. Bring this mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Step 7: Frost the Warm Cake

Pour the hot frosting over the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth and glossy. When the cake comes out of the oven, pour this warm frosting over the still-warm cake, spreading it gently to the edges. The frosting will partially melt into the top of the cake, creating an almost fudge-like layer that’s absolutely irresistible.

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined to avoid a tough cake.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature for the best incorporation into the batter.
Frost While Warm: The magic of this frosting happens when it’s poured over a warm cake, so time your frosting preparation to coincide with the cake coming out of the oven.
Let It Set: While it’s tempting to cut into this cake right away, giving it about 30 minutes to set will allow the frosting to firm up slightly, making it easier to slice.
Quality Cocoa: Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor.

How to Serve

This Dr Pepper Cherry Cake is delicious all on its own, but here are some serving suggestions to take it to the next level:

Perfect Pairings:

A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side creates a wonderful hot-and-cold contrast.
A dollop of freshly whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top pays homage to the Dr Pepper Cherry inspiration.
A small glass of cold milk or hot coffee balances the sweetness beautifully.

Serving Occasions:

This cake is perfect for potlucks and family gatherings – it travels well and feeds a crowd.
It makes a unique birthday cake for Dr Pepper lovers or anyone who appreciates something different from traditional birthday cake.
Package individual slices in wax paper for bake sales – the unique flavor will have people coming back for more!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

This cake stays wonderfully moist for days! Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. The flavor actually improves after a day as the cherry notes develop more fully.

Freezing

This cake freezes beautifully! Cut into individual portions, wrap well in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw individual slices at room temperature when the craving strikes.

Reheating

While this cake is delicious cold or at room temperature, you can warm individual slices for 10-15 seconds in the microwave for that fresh-baked experience. The frosting will become slightly gooey when warmed – absolutely divine!

FAQs

Can I use regular Dr Pepper instead of Dr Pepper Cherry?
Absolutely! Regular Dr Pepper works perfectly in this recipe. You’ll still get a delicious chocolate cake with subtle Dr Pepper notes, just without the cherry undertone. Some bakers even use Diet Dr Pepper with good results, though the texture may be slightly different.

I don’t have buttermilk. Is there a substitute I can use?
Yes! You can make a quick substitute by adding 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to ½ cup of regular milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using. The acidity is important for reacting with the baking soda, so don’t skip this ingredient or its substitute.

Why do you pour the frosting over while the cake is still warm?
This is what makes this cake so special! Pouring the warm frosting over the warm cake allows some of it to seep slightly into the top layer, creating an incredible texture that’s somewhere between a glaze and a frosting. It sets up as it cools, forming a fudgy, delicious topping that’s impossible to resist.

Can I make this cake in advance for a party?
This cake is actually perfect for making a day ahead! The flavors meld and develop overnight, making it even more delicious. Just cover it well once the frosting has set and store at room temperature if you’ll be serving it within 24 hours.

Final Thoughts

This Dr Pepper Cherry Cake is one of those magical recipes that transforms simple ingredients into something truly special. The combination of chocolate and cherry flavors from the soda creates a unique dessert that will have everyone asking for the recipe. What I love most about this cake is how it brings smiles to people’s faces – there’s something about the nostalgic flavor of Dr Pepper in dessert form that just makes people happy. Whether you’re a devoted Dr Pepper fan or simply looking for a delicious cake that’s a little different from the norm, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try!

Dr Pepper Cherry Cake Recipe