Cherry Dr. Pepper Cake

Ryan Barrett Walkush recently celebrated a birthday, and he chose Dr. Pepper cake for his birthday cake. This recipe is a little different from ones you might have seen floating around on Pinterest. It is a layer cake. And, I used RBW's favorite soda, CHERRY Dr. Pepper.

It turned out really well and I think this recipe would work equally well with other dark sodas: Coke, Cheerwine, Rootbeer, etc., so feel free to use your favorite.

Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Cherry Dr. Pepper Layer Cake

2 cups Cherry Dr. Pepper

1 cup cocoa powder

1 stick butter, cubed

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

Cherry Dr. Pepper Frosting (recipe follows)

9 stemmed maraschino cherries for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2, 9" cake pans.
2. In a small saucepan, heat Cherry Dr. Pepper, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt together.
4. In a small bowl, beat eggs, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. 
5. Gently fold the cocoa mixture into the cocoa mixture until all large lumps are removed. (The batter will still be slightly lumpy. Do not over mix as this will cause the cake to be tough.)
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes.
7. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, loosen the sides of the cakes from the pans and turn out onto cooling racks for another 10 minutes.
8. Frost with Cherry Dr. Pepper Frosting (recipe follows).
9. Evenly space 8 stemmed maraschino cherries around the edge of the cake for garnish. Place the final maraschino cherry in the center of the cake. 
10. Refrigerate cake.

Cherry Dr. Pepper Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

16 oz. confectioners' sugar

1/8 to 1/4 cup Cherry Dr. Pepper

1 tsp vanilla

Dash of salt

1. Place the butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate syrup in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed until just combined.
2. Add the confectioners' sugar, 2 Tbsp Cherry Dr. Pepper, vanilla, and salt. Blend on low until the sugar is combined. Then, increase the mixer speed to medium speed and blend 1 minute longer.
3. Add more Cherry Dr. Pepper, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture is smooth and spreadable.
4. Use frosting to frost Cherry Dr. Pepper Cake.