Cherry Cola Chocolate Cake

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 box (15.2 oz) chocolate cake mix

02 - 3 large eggs

03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil

04 - 1 cup cherry cola, not diet

→ Filling

05 - 1 box (3.2 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix

06 - 2 cups cold cherry cola

→ Topping

07 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream

08 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar

09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10 - 1 can (10.5 oz) cherry pie filling or fresh pitted cherries

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish thoroughly.

02 - Combine cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and cherry cola in a large bowl. Beat until smooth and uniform. Pour into the prepared dish.

03 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center; it should come out clean.

04 - Let cake cool for 10 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes evenly spaced about 3/4 inch apart across the surface.

05 - Whisk instant pudding mix with cold cherry cola until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gently spoon pudding mixture over cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.

06 - Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to fully chill and set the pudding.

07 - In a cold bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over chilled cake.

08 - Top with cherry pie filling or fresh cherries just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

Cherry cola adds a secret depth that keeps people guessing why it tastes so good.
The fluffy whipped cream feels luxuriously old-school and light, balancing all that fudgy chocolate.

02 -

Don’t rush poking—if the holes are too small, the pudding won’t soak in and you’ll miss out on that dreamy texture.
Switching to a cold metal bowl for the cream made my whipped topping hold up even on warm days.

03 -