Baked With Love: What a 7-Up Cake Taught Me About Legacy

I remember the day Nana Wheeler gave my mom the recipe for her 7-Up Cake.

Nana Wheeler was a lovely woman. She had known my mother since she was a little girl in Philadelphia. Full of love for God and Southern grace, she had seen my Mom through the best and worst of times. My brother and I called her "Nana Wheeler" because she was a grandmother figure to our mom and, by extension, to us. We had stayed in her home many a time when we visited Philly as she poured her love and wisdom into all of us, and she could cook like nobody's business! Some of the best meals I ever had were made by her hand, including her legendary 7-Up Cake.

Nana Wheeler and my mom would talk on the phone often and during one of those frequent chats, my mom took a page from a sticky-note pad on the fridge and wrote down the recipe for Nana Wheeler's 7-Up Cake, a recipe that she was able to rattle off by memory. That weekend my mom tried her hand at it and it was a hit, one that was made for our house and shared with loved ones time and again through the years much to the joy of those who would get a slice.

In 2021, my mom came down with a terrible cold right around the holidays when her baking was usually in full swing. Four families were waiting for their confections and yet she was in no shape to bust out the mixer. Thus, the baton was passed to me and I graduated from sous chef to head baker by necessity. I'm happy to report that by the time the second cake was baked and iced, I had committed the recipe to memory and it turned out just as good as I remembered it: light and lemony from the carbonated citrus soda, a slice of comfort on a plate and four very pleased families whose cakes barely lasted through Christmas morning.

The following year, a friendly challenge from my friend turned into me baking one for his birthday and sharing it after church with a group of congregants after service at our usual post-church hangout. To this day I think Jesus pulled a five loaves and two fishes miracle because somehow my li'l ol' cake managed to feed nearly 40 people, with some getting seconds to boot!

As I saw the cake dwindle to crumbs, I reflected on Nana Wheeler. Even though she joined the ancestors in 2005, her legacy of sharing, caring, and loving through her generosity and hospitality was alive in every slice. Her sweetness lives on to this day, as I have baked this cake for this same friend's birthday every year since, and I even got a seal of approval from his mom when she came to visit three years ago (which, by his account, is usually gone in two days despite his self-proclaimed aversion to sweets) .

It's also a favorite of my nephew, who makes sure to get a healthy slice of it every time we bake one. He has taken a liking to cooking and baking, so chances are he'll be keeping the tradition alive when the time comes.

Oh what I would give for him to have met Nana Wheeler... and, through her recipe, he has.

I may have memorized the recipe, but rest assured that the original note is nestled in our recipe box just as Nana Wheeler's memory is safely kept in my own heart.

And now, it's time to share it with y'all. You may notice that there is no milk or baking powder in this recipe. That's where the 7-Up comes in: it acts as the liquid and rising agent of this cake

Nana Wheeler's 7-Up Pound Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Oven Temperature: 325°F

Yield: 12–16 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 sticks butter, softened to room temperature

• 3 cups white granulated sugar

• 5 large eggs, room temperature

• 3 cups sifted all-purpose or cake flour

• 2/3 cup 7-Up soda, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• Juice of 3 lemons

• 2 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan.

2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for 4–5 minutes, until the mixture is very light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Add the flour gradually, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing to keep the batter light and fluffy.

5. Pour in the 7-Up and vanilla extract. Mix just until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.

6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.

7. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.

8. Cool the cake in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Icing

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the juice of 1 lemon.

2. Add more lemon juice, a little at a time, until the icing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.

3. Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the icing over the top, allowing it to cascade down the sides.