It Only Takes 2 Ingredients To Make This Cake — And It Starts With A Nostalgic Drink

We all love an easy baking recipe. Whether it's a simple banana bread, no-bake cookies, or a canned pastry extravaganza, the fewer steps there are, the better. And if the ingredients spark a little nostalgia, well, that makes things even more fun. If that sounds good to you, then we have the perfect two-ingredient cake recipe to add to your rotation. All you need to get your hands on is a childhood favorite drink: Fanta.

A sweet orange soda created in Germany in the 1940s, Fanta was a household staple in many households in the late 20th century. It's still available today, but many people associate the drink with their childhoods, especially if they grew up in Europe. Known for its bright color and refreshing flavor, Fanta is great on a hot day, but it's also the perfect thing to add to boxed cake mix to create a delicious orange-hued cake.

The soda not only gives the cake a gorgeous color, but it also imparts a sweet, Creamsicle-like flavor and creates a moist, springy texture. All you really need to do is combine the two ingredients together and bake according to the instructions on the box. A white cake will provide the best base (we think this is the best boxed cake mix, if you want a suggestion). Just pour the mix right into a rectangular pan, add in about one can of soda (or 12-ounces), whisk, and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheight.

Fanta's origin story, and the reason behind its early popularity, might surprise you. The drink was actually created in Nazi Germany after a ban was placed on the sale of American products, like Coca-Cola, during World War II. It dominated the market, and because it was made using cheap, rationed ingredients, other European countries started making it too. 

A better, reimagined recipe was created using locally sourced oranges in Italy in the 1950s, and Europe fell in love all over again. It also caught on in tropical markets, where fruit flavors tend to dominate, and eventually in America after an extremely popular ad campaign in the early 2000s. Anyone who remembers the "Wanta Fanta" ad will be a sucker for this cake.

If you become a fan, try out another soda cake, like this Coca-Cola layer cake. You can mix up the orange soda cake, too. Try out another brand or add some orange zest or juice for a more pronounced flavor. A lemon soda would work really well here, too, as would any tropical flavors. You can also make cupcakes or bake the mix in a bundt pan. Once it's ready, serve with fresh cream, fruit, Cool Whip, or even ice cream for more indulgence. And don't forget a can of Fanta to pair with it — an ice cream float and cake combo is always an option. Now we're talking nostalgia, right?