Striker Cacau scored four times to triple his Bundesliga goal tally for the season and lead Stuttgart to a dominant win.
The Brazilian-born Germany striker's hat-trick put his side 3-1 up by half-time and, after Pavel Pogrebnyak made it four, Cacau rounded off the win in the 74th minute.
Christopher Schorch scored the hosts' goal a minute before the interval but they were outclassed and remain just two places above the relegation zone.
The opener came in the 18th minute when full-back Christian Molinaro crossed to the far post and Cacau finished from close range.
It was 2-0 just after the half-hour mark when Cacau seized on a loose ball 25 yards out, set himself and fired fiercely past keeper Faryd Mondragon.
And he completed his hat-trick seven minutes before the break. A Stuttgart corner was bundled goalwards by defender Serdar Tasci, Mondragon scrambled the ball off the line but Cacau converted the rebound.
A short corner routine allowed Cologne to cut the deficit as Adil Chihi crossed for Schorch to head home from close to the penalty spot.
The second half was quieter, but Stuttgart resumed their attacking threat in the final 20 minutes to give the scoreline a convincing gloss.
First Roberto Hilbert crossed from the left for Russia striker Pogrebnyak to head home from the edge of the six-yard box.
But, fittingly, it was Cacau who had the final word as Pogrebnyak turned provider, crossing for his strike partner to fire his fourth goal through the legs of defender Geromel.
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