Pop Cake is the kind of recipe that works because it shouldn’t. Replacing the oil, eggs, and water in a boxed cake mix with a can of soda produces a cake that’s surprisingly light and moist, with a subtle flavor from the pop. The frosting is Cool Whip stirred with dry Jell-O mix powder — no cooking required. Mary Ringlein suggests yellow cake with orange pop and orange Jell-O, or yellow cake with red pop and strawberry Jell-O.
Ingredients
1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1 (12 oz.) can flavored soda pop
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 pkg sugar-free Jell-O mix (any flavor, to match the pop)
Instructions
Mix the cake mix and soda pop together. Do not add the eggs, oil, or water called for on the box — the pop replaces them.
Pour into a greased pan and bake according to the cake mix box directions.
Cool completely.
Make the frosting: Stir together the Cool Whip and dry Jell-O powder (do not prepare the Jell-O — use the powder straight from the packet) until smooth.
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Mary Ringlein’s favorite combinations: • Yellow cake + orange pop + orange Jell-O • Yellow cake + red pop (Fanta or Crush) + strawberry Jell-O
The rule of thumb: match the pop and Jell-O flavors to each other, and choose a cake mix that complements both.
