Chocolate Dr. Pepper Cake

Do you know what today is? Yes, it’s Monday. Yes, it’s the first work day after the time change (always a bummer). Yes, it’s Pi Day. But, most importantly, today is my birthday!

I normally always make my own birthday cake. Generally when I tell people that, they look at me sort of sadly, like, “Oh, the poor thing. No one wants to make/buy her a cake!” But that’s not the case at all. I just happen to enjoy making my own cake -- and I never have a shortage of cakes on my list to try.

Very fortuitously, this cake popped up in my Google Reader on Friday -- and the instant I saw it, I knew it was going to be this year’s birthday cake. I am ever so slightly obsessed with Dr. Pepper, and the idea of Dr. Pepper in a chocolate cake just blew me away. Chocolate and Dr. Pepper, my two great loves together in harmony. I couldn’t think of a more perfect cake to make for myself.

Not surprisingly, I absolutely love this cake. It’s incredibly moist, but the carbonation in the Dr. Pepper also makes it light and airy, so it has a really interesting texture. The Dr. Pepper is mixed with melted chocolate before it’s stirred into the batter, so it lends its deep, molasses flavor to every bite of the cake. I did think that the frosting, when tasted on its own, was way too buttery -- but I really liked it when I tasted it on the cake. But you could definitely get away with using less butter in the frosting.

This cake was the perfect way to celebrate my birthday!

Chocolate Dr. Pepper Cake
adapted from The Sisters Café

For the cake:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting:

2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup Dr. Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

2. Sift together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. Heat the Dr. Pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

4. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla for 2 minutes. At lowest speed, slowly add the Dr. Pepper mixture and beat for 1 additional minute. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

6. To make the frosting, beat the butter until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. At low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa. Add the Dr. Pepper and vanilla, and turn mixer to high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, about one minute. Frost cake and store in the refrigerator.