Easy & Moist Chocolate Sheet Cake (video)
This incredible chocolate sheet cake is just as easy to make as a boxed cake mix. It’s crazy moist and super delicious. The luscious chocolate frosting is silky-smooth and creamy. It’s the ultimate chocolate lover’s dream!
Why this recipe is so great:
- Super easy to make – All you have to do is toss together your dry ingredient, then mix in your wet ingredients, and you’ve got this thin luscious cake batter just like a cake mix (but without all the preservatives!)
- Very adaptable – You can use this recipe to make chocolate cupcakes, a layer cake, or even a bundt cake. A quarter sheet cake is my go-to because it’s so easy. All you have to do is pour the whole batter into one baking pan and then slather some frosting on it. There’s no need to evenly divide the batter or get fancy with piping the frosting and it feeds a crowd which is great for the holiday season coming up.
- Simple to serve – Because you can easily cut them into any size piece of cake you want. They’re great for kid parties, office parties, potlucks, or any occasion where there are lots of guests and you want an uncomplicated yet delicious dessert to serve.
- Here are some reviews:
“This recipe is so easy and taste amazing!!!! So moist! Probably one of the best sheet cakes I’ve ever had! Definitely a crowd pleaser!!” – Hollie
“I made this cake last weekend – it is everything you say AND MORE! I will definitely be making it again. Thank you!” – Gina
How to make chocolate sheet cake:
(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)
- You start by tossing together all your dry ingredients in a large bowl (a.k.a. cake mix).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Whisk in one cup of hot water.
- Pour the batter into a greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350F.
- For the frosting: you start by beating the butter for about a minute until light and creamy.
- Mix in the powdered sugar and milk/cream.
- Lastly, mix in the unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth.
FAQ:
How do you store chocolate sheet cake?
Tightly cover or place in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or for up to a week in the fridge.
Can you freeze chocolate sheet cake?
Yes, but it’s best to freeze the cake unfrosted. Once the cake is completely cooled, tightly cover in a double layer of saran wrap and a layer of foil. Date and freeze for up to 1 month. When preparing to serve, thaw the cake at room temperature for about 4 hours or overnight in the fridge, and prepare the frosting as instructed.
What is the purpose of the hot water?
The hot water is added at the very end because the flour is effectively coated with fat (the oil and eggs), thereby reducing the amount of gluten that can form (flour + liquid). The reason the water is hot is because hot liquid helps bloom the cocoa powder, creating a deeper, more rich chocolate flavor. (source: Reddit)
You might also like:
- German Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Homemade Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Chocolate Whoopie Pies
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
Easy & Moist Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) hot water
Chocolate buttercream
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (500g) powdered sugar
- 4-6 Tbsp milk or cream
- 1/2 cup (57g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder , sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×13″ baking pan with non-stick baking spray or butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour, 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs.1 cup (240ml) milk, 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined with a rubber spatula.
- Add in the hot water and whisk until smooth.1 cup (240ml) hot water
- Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
To prepare the buttercream:
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute until creamy. Mix in 1 cup of powder sugar and with 1 tbsp of milk/cream at a time, mixing well in between.1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, 4 cups (500g) powdered sugar, 4-6 Tbsp milk or cream
- Mix in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk/cream if necessary for a spreadable consistency.1/2 cup (57g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Notes
For two 9″ round pans, bake for 25–30 minutes.
For cupcakes (makes 24), bake for 15-20 minutes.
For a bundt pan, bake for 40-45 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Life, Love & Sugar
I have made this before and it is delicious. I am getting ready to make it again for a large party for my son’s birthday. I plan to bake two cakes: 9”x13” and 9”x9” squares. I imagine I can 1.5x the recipe without an issue. But, if I want to bake both cakes in the same oven at once, do you think I will need to adjust the baking time? Thank you!
The 9×9 cake will be done a bit sooner. I would start checking at 25 minutes. Hope that helps, and happy birthday to your son!
This is my go to recipe. It’s actually the first recipe that got me into baking. I used to use this for my slab cakes, but I now use it for my tiered cakes as it’s the perfect density. Everyone loves it!!!!!!. You’re also my go to for anything baking. Your recipes never miss & are absolutely delicious. I will be trying as many as I can for many more bakes to come 😍. So thank you for sharing these recipes with us <3
Aww thank you for your kind words, Sharla – it means a lot🥰 and you’re very welcome🫶
Fluffy and delicous
Can you sub out coffee for the cup of hot water for a richer flavor? Also can you add chocolate chips to the batter and not have to add anything by else to it?
Yes, you can use hot coffee instead of hot water. No, the batter is too thin to hold chocolate chips. I hope you enjoy the cake!
Love this recipe. Easy and makes a very light cake. I cut sugar back to 1 cup and it was plenty sweet enough. Also made a 1/2 batch of the icing which was plenty for a slab cake. Would definitely make this again and will be my go to recipe.
Been looking for a good (and easy!) chocolate cake recipe to make for my daughter’s 7th birthday and these reviews have really sold this one, so I’m gonna give it a go!
I’m a super-beginner baker, so excuse my basic questions, but 2 cups of sugar sounds like a lot to me (in other cake recipes I’ve tried I’ve never done more than 1 cup of caster sugar), what’s the minimum amount of sugar you would recommend?
Also- would white chocolate ganache go well with this (daughter’s request)!
Thanks:)
2 cups of sugar is not unusual for a chocolate cake of this size. Unsweetened cocoa powder is bitter so you need enough sugar to balance the taste. I guess you can reduce the sugar a bit, but I would not go any less than 1.5 cups. And yes, white chocolate ganache would go well. Hope this helps!
Moist and delicious! Recipe was easy, basic pantry ingredients and I loved that you repeated the ingredients and measurements at each step. No scrolling back to check! 🤎
Absolutely amazing! I was a little apprehensive when it came out but after coating and leaving for the next day, it went down an absolute treat. Loads wanted 2nds and my brother text to say the cake was so good he was so happy to see id given him a little takeaway box with an extra large slice!!
Hi Lily, to make these cupcakes, how much should I fill the cupcake liner up? My friend wants these for her wedding! I will top with the buttercream icing too.
I would say 3/4 full. Enjoy and tag me on social. Would love to see how you decorate them:)
I never leave reviews but this cake is AMAZING! It has become such a staple fail proof recipe in my house. It was one of the first ever cakes I made from scratch by myself, and I have been serving it to my family for the past 5 years and it’s better each time! Personally, like many other baked goods this tastes great after the first day or two and slightly chilled from the fridge. All and all this is a fantastic recipe and an even better cake. Thank you 🙂
You’re very welcome and thank you for such a lovely review! I’m thrilled to hear that you’ve been enjoying it for the past five years:)
I only have unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder, is that still Okay to use for the cake and frosting in this recipe? I would love to make this for my little sisters birthday and she loves chocolate.
Hey Natalie, yes you can use unsweetened Dutch cocoa. Happy birthday to your sister and I hope she loves the cake!