Dorothy Charron from St. Augustine, Fla., was looking for recipe from many years ago for a moist chocolate cake that had Coca-Cola as an ingredient. Theodora Capezio from Monkton, Md., sent in a recipe for making a Coca-Cola cake that she said she cut from a newspaper a long time ago. She said her young family, with six sons, always enjoyed this cake.

Her original recipe called for the use of oleo, which was what margarine was called when it was first introduced. That gives some idea of what era this recipe dates from. This cake is extremely sweet, one that most kids and adults with a sweet tooth are bound to love. Next time, I think I would be inclined to serve it without the topping and substitute a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Coca-Cola Cake

For cake:

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons cocoa

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup "oleo" margarine or butter

1 cup cola (not diet)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

For topping:

1/4 cup margarine or butter

2 tablespoons cocoa

3 tablespoons cola

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts or coconut (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To make the cake: Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar and salt.

3. In a small saucepan combine margarine, cola and vegetable oil and bring to a boil. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed. Then add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in mini marshmallows.

4. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-by-13-inch pan and spread marshmallows evenly.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. While cake is baking, prepare topping.

6. To make topping: In a small saucepan combine margarine, cocoa and cola. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the sugar, vanilla and nuts, if using. Pour topping over cake while hot.