DR. PEPPER HOT OR COLD: Retro Recipes for Hot Dr. Pepper and Chocolate Dr. Pepper Cake!

It's been freezing every day at my home for two weeks.We even had snow! Ok, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so it really is pretty unusual. We usually get a day or two of frost a year, but we've had snow, hail, freezing temps, and wild wind. Not sure what it's like in your part of the world, but it's probably really cold in most parts of the U.S. today. This Retro advertisement for Dr Pepper is perfect  for this cold day. "Hot Idea!" I've never had Hot Dr Pepper. The actual idea of it doesn't appeal, but I have had Dr Pepper Chocolate Cake. Using soda (cola) in cakes is very Retro, and this Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake is as retro as this 60s Ad. Let me know if make some Hot Dr Pepper today. Frosty likes it!

Want to know more about Dr Pepper? Here's a link to a post I did in 2010.

Want to make a Chocolate Dr. Pepper Cake from Scratch? Here's a good recipe from the Baylor University Alumni Association cookbook: "Homecoming: Special Foods, Special Memories." The original recipe called for margarine, but that's not an ingredient I would ever use! Not a Dr Pepper fan? You can substitute your favorite cola.

CHOCOLATE DR. PEPPER CAKE

Cake
1 cup butter
1 cup Dr. Pepper
4 Tbsp DARK cocoa
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional...I don't use it)
3 cups flour,  sifted
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs -- well beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda

Dr. Pepper Frosting
1/2 cup Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp DARK cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar -- sifted
1/2 cup pecans -- chopped
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Cake:
Heat Dr. Pepper with butter, but do not boil. Set aside. Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa. Beat together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and baking soda. Add hot Dr. Pepper mixture to dry ingredients. Stir in egg mixture, and blend well. Pour into greased and floured 15x10-inch sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 deg. for 25 minutes.

Frosting:
About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat Dr. Pepper, margarine, and cocoa.
Stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and vanilla. Spread frosting on while cake is still hot.