This Soda Cake is what you make when you need a dessert that tastes “from scratch”… but you don’t have time for anything fussy. Using Orange Crush as the liquid isn’t a gimmick. The carbonation lifts the batter in a way that gives you an ultra-soft cake — without adding eggs, oil or extra steps.
It’s a shortcut dessert, yes — but the texture is genuinely impressive for something that comes together in minutes. It tastes almost like an old-fashioned chiffon cake but without the effort.
Ingredients Needed For This Orange Soda Cake
NOTE: You are only using the dry cake mix and not using the additional ingredients called for on the box.
Ingredient Substitutions
ORANGE FLAVOR: You can add one tablespoon of fresh orange zest if you do not have pure orange flavoring on hand.
SODA: You can substitute any fruit-flavored soda for the Orange Crush.
FROSTING: You can add one teaspoon of pure orange flavoring to the orange-tinted frosting.
FOOD COLORING: Stick with gel food coloring— you only need a tiny amount, and it blends in without watering down the frosting the way liquid colors do.
Getting The Batter Right
- Use room-temperature soda. Cold soda knocks out carbonation faster. You want the bubbles intact so they can lift the cake in the oven.
- Tilt the bowl slightly and pour the soda down the side. This keeps the fizz alive instead of deflating on impact.
- Over-mixing pops the bubbles you need for height. Mix for one minute—90 seconds max.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Even layers bake at the same speed and cool flat, which makes stacking easier.
- Soda batter browns quickly. Bake on center rack.
Frosting Notes
As you frost, keep everything cool. Whipped frosting softens quickly under warm lights or in a warm kitchen, so if it starts to lose structure, pop the bowl in the fridge for 5–10 minutes. It firms right back up and spreads beautifully again.
If the layers dome a little, start by trimming them flat. It takes only a moment, but it makes the biggest difference — the cake stacks straight, the filling stays put, and you’re not fighting uneven layers as you frost.
When you move to frosting the sides of the cake, switch to an offset spatula. Whipped frosting is soft and airy, and the offset spatula lets you glide around the cake in smooth passes instead of dragging or tearing the surface.
Storage Instructions
Store any leftovers of this cake covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to two months. Allow the layers to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
More Cake Recipes
- Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Cherry Dr Pepper Cake
- Black Forest Icebox Cake
- Orange Creamsicle Cake
- Butterfinger Cake
Soda Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 15.25 ounces vanilla cake mix
- 12 ounces orange soda
- 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
- 24 ounces whipped white frosting (two 12-ounce containers)
- 2 to 3 drops orange gel food color
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment circles, and lightly spray with baking spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version). Set them aside.
- Add the cake mix to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Pour the orange soda over the cake mix.
- Add the orange extract.
- Use a handheld mixer on medium-low speed and mix for 1 to 1½ minutes until completely combined and smooth.
- Evenly divide the cake batter between the 2 prepared cake pans. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Allow the cakes to completely cool.
- Once the cakes have cooled, place half of 1 of the containers of whipped frosting into a small mixing bowl. Add 2 to 3 drops of the orange gel food color. Stir well until the color is uniform. Set it aside.
- Remove 1 of the cakes from the cake pan and place on a serving dish.
- Spoon the remaining ½ of the opened frosting container onto the cake. Using a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the bottom layer.
- Using the silicone spatula or the offset spatula, evenly spread the second container of whipped frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Using a decorator’s bag fitted with a star-shaped decorator’s tip, or a quart-size Ziploc with a small corner of the bag snipped off, hold the bag ½ inch above the surface of the outer edge of the cake. Using even pressure squeeze the bag in a circle to form a small rose shape. Repeat the pattern around the cake.
Notes
- This recipe will also work for other shapes of cakes such as bundt cakes and rectangular cakes or even with cupcakes. You’ll just have to adjust the cooking time based on the directions on the box.
- These pre-cut parchment paper rounds are great to have on hand to make lining the round pans easier.
- You are only using the dry cake mix and not using the additional ingredients called for on the box.
Nutrition
Comments
Sherrijo capodiferro says
I’m from NY so I call it soda. I have also made this with chocolate cake mix and cherry dr. Pepper. Any flavor you usecits delicious
Lee says
Soda pop
Terri M Kaplun says
I call it pop but sometimes I call it soda to mess with people. Lol
Cindy Axdahl says
We call it pop here in Iowa.
EDNA F WALKER says
this sounds amazing gonna make one tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!