Fanta cake (German: Fantakuchen, pronounced[ˈfantaˌkuːxən][1]) is a cake originating from Germany, made with a sponge cake base. The primary ingredient is Fanta, a carbonated soft drink which creates a fluffier texture than typical sponge cakes due to effervescence.[2] The cake is topped with either a simple lemon glaze or a creamy layer made of heavy sour cream, whipped cream, sugar, and canned mandarins. It is typically served at birthday parties or bake sales.[3]
Fanta was developed by the German branch of The Coca-Cola Company during World War II because trade embargoes made some typical soft drink ingredients difficult to obtain in Nazi Germany. Fanta became popular as a beverage and a sweetener in other dishes, such as cakes.[4][5]
Similar recipes use other carbonated soft drinks. For instance, in Germany, using Sprite makes Spritekuchen, and Coca-Cola makes Colakuchen. Other beverages like lemonade can make Limokuchen.[6][7]
In the Southern United States, similar cakes using 7 Up, Coca-Cola, and Dr Pepper emerged in the mid-20th century.[8][9]Cracker Barrel introduced cola cake to its menu in the 1990s, with iterations including the double chocolate fudge Coca-Cola cake.[10]
Several types of beer cake are similarly partially leavened by beer's natural carbonation.[11]
Ingredients and mixture
Fanta cake with orange icing
The cake batter usually includes basic ingredients such as flour, eggs, sugar, and butter, and Fanta. The soda helps create a light texture and adds a subtle orange flavour, which is then complemented by a rich topping, often made from sour cream, vanilla pudding, and fruit. Some recipes also incorporate orange zest or orange-flavoured icing to amplify the citrus notes.
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