My mother used to make this delicious and easy chocolate sheet cake that had everyone in the room licking their fingers. It took me a while to learn how to make it, but now, whenever I do, my family keeps asking for more.
This rich, moist, and flavorful chocolate dessert can be baked in one pan. It is perfect for parties, birthdays, and any kind of gathering, as it can feed a crowd. You can also make it whenever you are craving something sweet. After all, it is quite easy to make because the preparation is very easy and simple.
So, today, I will not only share the recipe with you, but also give you a whole lot of information about this beginner-friendly sheet cake.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
- Moist and rich texture and flavor.
- Easy one-pan baking.
- Great for large servings.
- Toppings are customizable.
Chocolate Sheet Cake vs. Traditional Cake
Both the chocolate sheet cake and the traditional chocolate cake are delicious, although they are used for different purposes.
If you can understand the differences between the two cakes, you can actually choose the right cake for your occasion or party.
The moist chocolate sheet cake is a single-layer, thinner cake where you can pour on the chocolate sheet cake frosting. It is dense and has a fudgy texture.
On the other hand, the traditional cake has more height and can be layered, and it uses more intricate frosting techniques. It’s much lighter than the sheet cake and has a more complex structure.
Classic chocolate sheet cakes are much simpler and faster to make, while traditional cakes take more time, even to assemble. Comparably, a Texas chocolate sheet cake recipe is a chocolate cake for a crowd. It’s a classic version baked in a jelly roll pan, and it’s known for being thin and moist.
Key Ingredients for the Best Chocolate Sheet Cake
Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: This gives the chocolate pan cake its structure.
- Cocoa Powder: A cocoa powder cake means a chocolatey flavor profile.
- Granulated Sugar: It gives the cake sweetness and moisture.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: This helps the cake rise and become fluffy.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Eggs: Make for a richer cake.
- Vegetable Oil: Butter or oil adds softness to the one-pan chocolate cake.
- Buttermilk: This adds a chocolate cake texture.
Chocolate Frosting Ingredients
- Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate: Gives the chocolate sheet cake frosting a chocolatey and sweet flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the frosting thick and flavorful.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds softness to the frosting.
- Cocoa Powder: More chocolaty goodness.
- Powdered Sugar: Makes the chocolate buttercream frosting sweet.
- Salt: To balance the sweetness.
- Instant Coffee and Vanilla Essence: Enhances the chocolate flavor and profile.
How To Make The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe
Best Cocoa Powder to Use
Choosing the best cocoa powder for cake depends on the flavor, color, and texture you want. Understanding the natural vs Dutch cocoa helps you pick the right type for your recipe.
Natural Cocoa: You can use natural cocoa if your recipe calls for baking soda. You can use this because it is more acidic and gives the cake and frosting a lighter and reddish-brown color with a fruitier and stronger flavor.
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed cocoa is less acidic and gives a darker color with a smoother, richer chocolate flavor. It’s a great choice when you want that deep chocolate look and a well-balanced taste.
If you want a darker-looking cake, Dutch-processed cocoa is the best cocoa powder for cake. If you want a stronger, bold chocolate flavor, natural cocoa is a great choice.
Tips for a Moist Chocolate Sheet Cake
- One of the most important tips in terms to make the cake is to make sure you measure flour correctly.
- Make sure you don’t overmix the batter, or the cake will become stiff.
- Avoid overbaking the cake, or it will come out dry.
- You should use room temperature ingredients, such as eggs and buttermilk, sour crefor the best results.
How to Serve Chocolate Sheet Cake
- When you make a homemade chocolate sheet cake, you can pair it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fresh berries before serving at parties.
- You can also serve this cake for birthday celebrations by using a birthday-inspired frosting.
- Cut the slices and pack them for picnics.
- You can use a shiny chocolate ganache or pipe decorations with star tips for the best presentation results.
Variations & Helpful Swaps
- To make a Texas sheet cake, you can use peanut butter in the chocolate cake batter.
- Add instant coffee or espresso powder for a chocolate coffee cake version.
- You can use soy, cashew, hemp, oat, or almond milk instead of buttermilk for a dairy-free version.
- Use almond flour if you want a gluten-free option.
- You can also use sprinkles or nut toppings for a better look and crunch.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Storage:
- It’s better to refrigerate the sheet cake before frosting. But if you want to, you can leave it at room temperature for about 2–3 days. Just make sure it’s stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped so it stays soft and moist.
- You can refrigerate the cake for up to 5–6 days in an airtight container or just wrap it in plastic wrap.
- If you want to freeze this cake, do so without frosting for easy. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap, then with aluminium foil, and freeze. If you want to freeze it whole or sliced with frosting, you can do so, but the frosting will stick to the wrap. In both cases, the cake stays fresh for up to 1 month.
Reheat:
- For the whole unfrosted cake, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then frost the cake and serve it.
- To reheat the slices, you need to thaw the frozen cake slices in the refrigerator or at room temperature, or microwave for 10–15 seconds.
Chocolate Sheet Cake – Moist, Rich & Perfect for Any Occasion
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large Eggs
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
- 1 cup Hot Coffee (2 tsp Instant Coffee+1 Cup Boiling Water)
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 200 grams Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
- ¼ tsp Instant Coffee or Espresso Powder
Instructions
Prepare Baking Pan and Oven
- Take a 9×13-inch baking tray and grease it before lining it with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Then, add the granulated sugar into the bowl, and mix it well.
Mix Wet Ingredients
- Take another large bowl and add sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla essence
- Mix everything until well combined.
Combine Batter
- Now, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix everything well until everything is properly combined.
- Add hot water to instant coffee and whisk it into the batter.
Bake the Cake and Cool
- Pour the batter into the sheet pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
- Now, bake the cake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool down to room temperature before frosting it.
Make Fudge Frosting
- Put a pan on the stovetop and add heavy cream.
- Bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar, instant coffee, salt, and vanilla essence before mixing them well.
- Now, add butter and semi-sweet dark chocolate, and mix everything continuously until the chocolate is melted.
- Remove the mixture from the pan and sift it through a sieve.
- Wrap it with plastic wrap and let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the frosting for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the desired thickness.
Assemble The Cake, Serve and Enjoy!
- Take the frosting out of the refrigerator and beat it at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until it turns smooth and creamy.
- Now, frost the cake evenly and add chocolate chips on top.
- Cut the slices to your desired size and serve them to your guests.
Recipe FAQs
What size pan is best for a chocolate sheet cake?
You should use a 9×13-inch pan to make this chocolate sheet cake.
Can I Use a Different Frosting on Top of Chocolate Sheet Cake?
Yes, you can use buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, chocolate pudding frosting, or even a simple ganache instead of a chocolate fudge frosting to top the chocolate sheet cake.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
If your cake has sunk in the middle, it means you have underbaked it. So, bake it for a while longer until you can push a toothpick into the middle, and it comes out clean. Also, opening the oven door too early, using too much baking powder or over-mixing the cake batter.
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