Whenever I host dinner parties, my friends beg me to make Joanna Gaines' decadent chocolate-cola cake

My favorite chocolate-cake recipe to make for guests is from Joanna Gaines. Alexa Mellardo

I love dessert, and one of my favorites to make for guests is Joanna Gaines' chocolate-cola cake.

The recipe's star ingredient is cola, which goes into both the cake mix and the buttercream.

It's incredibly decadent, and I like to pair it with fresh strawberries.

I'm a major dessert person — you know, one of those people who looks at the dessert menu before deciding on my appetizer and entrée.

That's why, regardless of what I'm serving for dinner, the night always ends with decadence, namely, Joanna Gaines' chocolate-cola cake with chocolate-cola buttercream.

It's as scrumptious as it sounds and has become one of my go-to desserts for dinner parties and special occasions.

Here's how to make it.

To start, I gather all the ingredients.

Alexa Mellardo

Gaines' recipe calls for 12 ingredients, including nonstick baking spray, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark-brown sugar, kosher salt, salted butter, natural unsweetened cocoa powder, cola, baking soda, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.

The salted butter, cocoa powder, and cola are also used to make the buttercream frosting , along with powdered sugar.

Next, I preheat the oven and whisk together the dry ingredients.

Butter also works as an alternative to nonstick spray. Alexa Mellardo

Once I have all the ingredients handy, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 10-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray.

Then, I begin making the cake batter by adding all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark-brown sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mixing thoroughly.

After the dry ingredients are combined, I boil butter, cocoa powder, and cola in a saucepan.

I used unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Alexa Mellardo

To continue making the batter, I add salted butter, cocoa powder, and cola to a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until it's completely smooth.

Then, I pour the mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps.

In a separate bowl, I combine buttermilk and baking soda.

The baking soda needs to be dissolved in the buttermilk before adding it to the batter. Alexa Mellardo

In another small bowl, I dissolve the baking soda in room-temperature buttermilk before pouring it into the existing batter.

After whisking, I add the vanilla extract and eggs and whisk again until smooth.

Then, it's time to bake.

I used a cake tester to make sure the center was done cooking. Alexa Mellardo

I add the finished batter to my baking pan, then place it in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Once it's done, I let the cake cool on a wire rack while I prepare the frosting.

I use a mixer to prepare the chocolate-cola buttercream.

A handheld mixer will also work to make the frosting. Alexa Mellardo

To make the frosting, I use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

At medium speed, I beat the room-temperature butter until smooth. Next, I add cola and cocoa powder and mix on low until there are no lumps.

Then, I scrape the bowl, add some powdered sugar, and mix on medium again before repeating the process with the remaining powdered sugar.

To finish, I frost the cake and serve it with fresh strawberries.

I like to present the finished cake on a pedestal with fresh strawberries. Alexa Mellardo

The last step is to gently spread the frosting over the cooled cake.

The cake itself is rich yet incredibly moist, thanks to the cola, while the buttercream frosting serves as the perfect creamy complement to the cake's consistency.

When it comes to presentation, I always like to pull out a fun cake pedestal, because I think a dessert of this caliber deserves one. I also place fresh strawberries around the cake to add a bit of color to my dessert table , and it looks absolutely decadent.

A small slice does the trick to satisfy any sweet-tooth cravings .

This story was originally published on February 17, 2026, and most recently updated on July 29, 2026.

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