Can I Replace The Buttermilk And Butter In Coca Cola Cake?

Our answer

Nigella's Coca-Cola Cake (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) is a chocolate cake that is enhanced by the addition of cola. The cola adds extra flavour and sweetness and also helps to slightly aerate the cake batter. The butter in the recipe could be replaced with a margarine (not a reduced fat margarine), but we tend to prefer the flavour of butter in cooking.

Unfortunately we would not replace the buttermilk with extra cola as this will affect how the cake rises. The acidity of buttermilk is needed to react with the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the ingredients so that the cake rises. But adding extra carbonation via extra cola will also change the way the cake rises. If lactose is an issue then you should be able to replace the buttermilk with a mixture of lactose-free milk and lemon juice or a mild vinegar. We suggest using whole lactose-free milk and fresh lemon juice. For 125ml (½ cup) of lactose-free milk you need to stir in ½ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and then leave it to stand for 5 minutes, so that it thickens slightly, before using.