If you look through old Southern cookbooks
you’ll find an odd ingredient that you really wouldn’t expect to find – Coca
Cola. It’s found in both savoury and sweet recipes where it adds a rich caramel
depth to the dish. In Texas we do things a bit differently; we use Dr Pepper.
We’re mighty proud of Dr Pepper and that’s
because it was invented in Waco, Texas way back in 1885, a full year before the
stuff in the red can. Folks usually bake their Dr Pepper cake in a 9x15in pan;
however, I prefer to elevate mine to showstopper status by baking the cake in
three 9-inch round pans. I sandwich the layers with whipped chocolate ganache
and frost the entire cake with either Dr Pepper icing or chocolate buttercream.
There are some strange ingredients that go
into this cake but I can assure it will definitely please the most refined
palates as well as appealing to any chocoholic you might know. It certainly
impressed P when I made this for his birthday when we first started seeing each
other – he asks for it every year now.
This recipe is adapted from Baked in
America.
Ingredients:
For the cake
340g unsalted butter cut into pieces
350ml Dr Pepper
65g mini marshmallows
85g dark chocolate chopped finely
530g plain flour
115g cocoa powder
1 ½tsp bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
2 ¾tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
600g sugar
80g melted butter
1tbs vanilla
5 large eggs room temp
300ml buttermilk room temp
For the Dr Pepper icing
640g icing sugar
30g cocoa powder
58g butter
120ml Dr Pepper
2tbs double cream
1tbs vanilla extract
1tsp cinnamon
Alternative Frosting – Dr Pepper Cocoa
Buttercream
500g icing sugar (sifted)
3tbs cocoa powder (sifted)
117g softened butter
30-50ml Dr Pepper
Instructions:
For the layers
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line three 9inch round pans and set aside.
- Add the first four ingredients to a medium sized pan over a medium/high heat until scalding and the butter has melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until all of the marshmallows have melted. This takes a while. Once fully incorporated, set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, bicarbonate soda and baking powder and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with the paddle
attachment combine the sugar, melted butter and vanilla over a medium speed.
Reduce the speed and add in one egg at a time until you have added in all five
eggs.
- Increase the speed and pour the cooled Dr Pepper mixture into the eggs and sugar and mix until the mixture is a nice even colour.
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the bowl
and once incorporated add in half of the buttermilk. Add the second third of
the flour mixture and continue to mix until just incorporated then add the last
of the buttermilk. Finally add in the
last of the flour mixture and continue to mix until just combined. (I often do
this last bit by hand to prevent over mixing) Keep in mind that you will have a
very full mixing bowl.
- Divide evenly between the three prepared tins and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Once fully baked remove from the oven and
set on a wire rack and let cool completely.
For the Dr Pepper icing
- Combine all of the ingredients except the cream and the vanilla into a medium pan over a medium/high hear.
- Bring to the boil and then remove from heat.
- Let cool for five minutes and then add in the vanilla and cream.
- Stir until the mixture thickens and then pour over the finished cake.
To assemble the cake
- Gently heat the salted caramel in the microwave to make it loose and easier to spread.
- Cut the individual layers in half and cut off any dome that may have risen.
- Dab a small amount of the salted caramel on the cake board and apply the first layer.
- Add 150g – 250g of salted caramel and spread over the entire top of the layer. Place the next layer on top of the salted caramel.
- Continue doing this until you have added the final layer but do not add any salted caramel to the top of this layer.
- With an offset spatula smooth out any caramel that has oozed between the layers and then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to set.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and pour over the Dr Pepper icing. Alternatively you could frost the entire cake with chocolate buttercream or pour over a chocolate ganache.
Alternative Frosting – Dr Pepper Cocoa
Buttercream
- Sift the cocoa and icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the softened butter.
- Using the whisk attachment slowly mix the ingredients together until they start to combine and the icing sugar is mostly incorporated.
- Turn up the speed and add in 30ml of Dr Pepper and continue to whip until the frosting is fluffy.
- You may need to add in the additional 20ml but be careful not to add to much liquid.
