This is a little frightening. In the spirit of Halloween, here's a trick that makes a treat from Andy Southam, who lives downtown. He swears you can make a "diet'' cake by mixing chocolate cake mix with Diet Coke or white cake mix with diet 7-Up. Substitute the soda for all other ingredients, mix and bake as directed. No eggs, no shortening, no milk - just cake mix and pop.

CAN YOU HELP?

• Please help Willa Rolfes in Las Vegas to find a recipe for the California cheesecake served in the Cincinnati Bell cafeteria in the 1950s. • Ellen Bertke in Western Hills still needs a good calzone recipe similar to the "Zinovers'' served at the closed Zino's in Clifton. (The restaurant's name and some of its menu items, including Zinovers, are being revived in a restaurant opening next month at 126 Park Place in Covington.)

"It's very good,'' Andy says. "In fact, I ate the whole thing in two days. So much for a diet cake.''

This isn't a Halloween prank. In fact, in the '50s, 7-Up was marketed as "an exciting new ingredient.'' Dr Pepper cooking pamphlets were distributed and the '80s brought "International Cooking with Coca-Cola" tips. Basting the holiday ham with cola, sure. But French onion soup a la Coke? Scary.

But if you'd like to add "a new dimension in (your) kitchen cookery'' (or just want to use up that jack-o'-lantern in a Dr Pepper pumpkin pie), here's another treat - a free online cookbook from Dr Pepper/7-Up Inc. at www.dpsu.com/cookbook.

Mr. Southam is not the only one carbonating his cooking. Lois Westpfahl in Loveland offers more proof that "you're really cooking when you're cooking with 7-Up.''

Send food questions, tips, recipe requests and recipes to Saucy Cook, the Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202. E-mail: foodlady@zoomtown.com. Please include name, neighborhood, e-mail and phone number.

Lemon Supreme Cake

1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix

1/2 cup cooking oil

10 ounces 7-Up

4 eggs

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

ICING

1 cup sugar

1 stick margarine

2 eggs, beaten

1 small can crushed pineapple

Mix all cake ingredients together and bake in 9-by-13-inch pan at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Top with icing when cool. To make icing, stir all ingredients together in saucepan over medium-low heat until thick. Top with Cool Whip before serving. Makes 16 servings.

Chris Hill in Price Hill sends this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens for a Southern classic.

Coca-Cola Cake

2 1/3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cola

2/3 cup butter or margarine

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoon vanilla

11/2 cups tiny marshmallows

COCOA TOPPING

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup cola

21/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar and soda. Set aside. In medium saucepan, bring cola, butter and cocoa to boiling. Add hot mixture to dry mixture and stir. Stir in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

Gently stir in marshmallows (they will float to the top). Pour batter into greased and floured 9-by-13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. When cool, top with cocoa topping. Make topping by bringing butter, cocoa and cola to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar. Stir in nuts. Makes 16 servings.

No luck with the search for the sweet-and-sour salad dressing from the Fore & Aft Floating Restaurant in Sayler Park for Barbara Johnson in Loveland.

I'm going to resist running a pop-based salad dressing recipe. Instead, try this version from Marilyn Johnson in West Chester Township.

Sweet-and-Sour Salad Dressing

1 cup oil

1 cup vinegar

1/8 to 1/4 cup sugar (to taste)

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon oregano

Shake all ingredients together in a capped jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 2 1/4 cups.