These 2-Ingredient Dr. Pepper Cupcakes Are Going Viral (and for Good Reason)
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.
Soda and cake mix are all you need to make these delicious cupcakes. Don't knock it til you've tried it!
Who doesn’t love a shortcut? Plenty of us who don’t happen to be expert bakers, it turns out. One of the hottest recipes making the rounds right now is for Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes. They’re made with just two ingredients: Dr. Pepper and chocolate cake mix.
Popularized by a TikToker named Zoe (@bandnamegenerator), experienced bakers may turn up their noses at the technique of using soda in cake making, but this is a solid—and delicious—culinary technique. Once you taste the cupcakes, though, you’ll be sold.
Besides, this isn’t even the strangest place Dr. Pepper has turned up recently. The soda has been in Dr. Pepper Pot Roast, Dr. Pepper Drumsticks, and even in Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce.
Why Use Soda In Baking?
The idea of using soda in cakes is nothing new. We’ve seen several recipes for 7-Up pound cake, root beer float cakes, orange-cola cakes and cherry cola cakes. According to Food + Wine, using soda in baking dates back to at least the Depression, “when cooks had to MacGyver new solutions to make up for a lack of baking staples.”
It was most often used in the South, where there was more of a pushback from churches not to use alcoholic beverages like rum in making cakes. As time went on, it was used as a novelty as much as a substitute for scarce ingredients.
Sodas bring surprising elements to baking, according to Food + Wine, and not just as a sweetener. The fizz can be a leavening agent, and sodas bring acidity, acting almost like buttermilk in a batter. Cola has natural caramelization and flavoring agents that mimic spices.
@bandnamegenerator The loml is this cupcake #drpepper #foodtiktok #foodtok #drpeppercake ♬ original sound – familyguy.xuxu
How to Make Dr. Pepper Cupcakes
The cupcakes themselves require only two ingredients. The frosting requires four. This is super easy baking. You can duplicate this recipe using any soda and any cake mix. Orange soda and vanilla cake? Cola and strawberry cake? Go for it! Experiment!
Ingredients
- 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge)
- 2 cups Dr. Pepper, plus 1/3 cup for frosting
- 1 stick butter
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the two ingredients together
Heat oven to 350F. Pour the entire box of cake mix into a bowl and combine with 2 cups of Dr. Pepper “til it’s thicker than pancake batter but runnier than brownie batter.”
Step 2: Bake cupcakes
Pour batter into the cupcake tin, and place in oven. Bake for about 15-17 minutes, checking with a toothpick inserted into the center that comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing it from the tin. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Step 3: Make the frosting
While the cupcakes are baking, combine butter, cocoa and Dr. Pepper together, using a mixer. Add in powdered sugar and continue to mix until the frosting is smooth and holds soft peaks. Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them.
Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
You only need a few baking staples to throw together these gooey delights. Boxed cake mix and a can of frosting make them fast, but caramel, walnuts and chocolate chips tucked inside make them memorable. We like them with ice cream. —Bev Spain, Belleville, Ohio
Chocolate Cream Cupcakes
My favorite hockey team the Boston Bruins inspired these cupcakes. Add a love note on top using a little white icing. —Alisa Christensen, Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Red Wine and Chocolate Cupcakes
Red wine and chocolate make an amazing pairing, especially in these rich, elegant cupcakes made for my mother’s birthday. She adores them! —Candace Cheney, Fort McMurray, Alberta
Peanut-Filled Devil's Food Cupcakes
This recipe features a luscious peanut butter filling surrounded by devil's food and then iced with a rich layer of ganache. They're to die for! —Mary Lou Timpson, Colorado City, Arizona
Black Bottom Cupcakes
This recipe's been in our family for years, but these cupcakes still go quick each time I make them. So I always double or triple the ingredients! You'll likely see what I mean if you make them at your place—I can't remember anyone who's tried them for the first time not asking for seconds. —Julie Briceland, Windsor, Pennsylvania
Mini Chocolate Cakes with Caramelized Bananas
This was one of my first times spreading my wings with a recipe and trying to go a bit fancy. This is a breeze to make and a delight to serve. The recipe may look intimidating but after you try it once, you'll have it down pat. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes
These luscious cupcakes have a touch of semisweet chocolate in the batter and white chocolate in the filling. They melt away fast at our house. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolaty Frosting
I begged my aunt for this recipe when I was 16 years old, and it's still my very favorite. The silly monster eyes give these devilish cupcakes some Halloween fun! They are always on my husband's short list for special desserts. —Dawn Koestner, St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Peanut Butter Truffle Cupcakes
Everybody loves cupcakes, and these have a wonderfully tasty hidden treasure inside. They're rich and delicious! —Marlene Schollenberger, Bloomington, Indiana
Chocolate-Coconut Angel Cupcakes
My guests are never satisfied with just one of these, but that's OK because they are so light. The meringue-like tops make them different, and the chocolate and coconut make them memorable. —Bernice Janowski, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Nana's Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Frosting
Even though Nana is no longer with us, her treats bring me so much joy every time I bake them. For a more indulgent version, double the frosting and pile it on high! —Chekota Hunter, Cassville, Missouri
Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes
Good any time of the year, a chocolate cupcake recipe make a great get-up-and-go treat on busy summer days. These buttermilk chocolate cupcakes have been a frosted favorite with family and friends for at least 35 years. They're really popular at bake sales. —Ellen Moore, Springfield, New Hampshire
Chocolate Macaroon Cupcakes
A delightful coconut and ricotta cheese filling is hidden inside these chocolate cupcakes. —Dolores Skrout, Summerhill, Pennsylvania
Toffee Mocha Cupcakes
Chocolate, toffee and espresso make a mouthwatering concoction. The yummy sweets are perfect for any party or gathering. Make plenty, they'll go fast! —Brenda Melanin, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Dream Cupcakes
My grandchildren absolutely love these cream-filled cupcakes, and I hope the chocolaty treats become a favorite in your home as well. —Dorothy Bahlmann, Clarksville, Iowa
Chocolate Cupcake Cones
I experimented with these cupcakes when my girls were young. Now, I'm a grandmother of nine, and these are still our favorites. They're a great treat for kids to bring to school.—Betty Anderson, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Chocolate-Glazed Cupcakes
Because I have a dairy allergy, I'm always on the search for treats I can eat. I prepare these cupcakes with dairy-free chocolate chips and vanilla coconut milk instead of cream. —Kirstin Turner, Richlands, North Carolina
Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Cupcakes aren’t just for girls! My dad and brothers love peanut butter cups—the inspiration for these goodies. —Alisa Christensen, Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes
Smooth cream cheese inside makes these cupcakes so rich. The classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips comes through in every yummy bite. You'll be asked to make them again and again. —Shirley Dunbar, Mojave, California
Chocolate Ganache Peanut Butter Cupcakes
I've been baking cakes for years and enjoy trying new combinations of flavors and textures. For this peanut butter cupcake recipe, I blended peanut butter and chocolate. As soon as I took the first bite, I knew I had created something divine! —Ronda Schabes, Vicksburg, Michigan
Creamy Center Cupcakes
My mother made these cupcakes from scratch when I was growing up, but I simplified the recipe with a cake mix. Sometimes Mom would replace the smooth filling with homemade whipped cream. They are really good with either filling. —Caroline Anderson, Waupaca, Wisconsin
Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
Chocolate and orange are perfect together in these fudgy morsels. To give them a moist brownie-like texture, I add mayonnaise. The cupcakes taste even better when served with a scoop of homemade ice cream. —Shirley Brazel, Coos Bay, Oregon
Heavenly Surprise Cupcakes
The recipe for these filled and frosted cupcakes was handed down by my mother-in-law, who taught this fledgling cook what to do in the kitchen. She's no longer with us, but baking these treats reminds me of our good times together. —Judie Heiderscheit, Holy Cross, Iowa
