Royal Crown Cake (1971) ★★★

10:16 AM 1970s , 20th century , 3 stars , cake , post-modern , united states 3 Comments

Meredith MacRae appears in a print ad for RC Cola, 1969.

I did a bit of research on this cake, but I couldn't find any information on it, sadly. However, this recipe is extremely similar to another chocolate cake, often called Texas Sheet/Sheath Cake. These types of cakes have been around since the early 20th century, which, coincidentally, was around the time chocolate really became affordable for the masses. Cakes using soda/pop started appearing around the mid-20th century as well, although other recipes using soda/pop have been around for much longer. You can find recipes using ginger ale as far back as 1912 (often with gelatin). The exact origins of soda/pop cakes is shrouded in mystery, and likely we'll never know the first "creator" of the idea. This particular recipe dates to 1971, and uses Royal Crown cola, which was developed in 1905.

Original Recipe:

"While nothing quenches thirst like an ice-cold cola--nothing pleases the palate like a warm cola cake. Here's how to use this delightful and unique "baking soda":

Royal Crown Cake
2 cups unsifted flour
2 cups sugar
2 tbsps. cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup Royal Crown Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt. Bring the butter and cola to a boil and add to dry mixture. Add the butermilk, eggs, and marshmallows. This will be a very thin batter with the marshmallows floating on top. Bake in a large oblong pan at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.

Frosting
1/2 cup margarine or butter
2 tbsps. cocoa
6 tbsps. Royal Crown Cola
1 box confectioners sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine butter, cocoa and cola and bring to a boil. Pour over confectioners sugar and mix well. Add nuts and vanilla. Spread over cake while hot.