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.Â
- 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 your 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
- Triple Chocolate Cake
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
PrintEasy & Moist Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12-24
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This incredible chocolate cake recipe 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.
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, room temperature
- 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.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and 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.
- 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.
- Mix in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk/cream if necessary for a spreadable consistency.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored tightly covered or placed in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or for up to a week in the fridge.
Unfrosted cake can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Once the cake is completely cooled, tightly cover in a double layer of saran wrap and a layer of foil. Date and place in freezer. 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.
For two 8″ round pans, bake for 30–35 minutes.
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 2 9 inch round cake pans to use how long would I bake that? Would there be enough icing?
Hi Judy,
For two 9″ round pans, bake for about 25–30 minutes, and yes there is enough for thick layer frosting for in-between and top of the cake. You can do a thin layer of frosting if you want to completely cover the cake. I hope that helps and please feel free to email me back if you have any other questions:)
First time I made this cake it was absolutely perfect, I just tried again and needed to extend the baking time and once I took it out of the oven the middle started to fall (left a large divot in the centre) what did I do wrong?
Hi Bryony,
Can you recall doing anything different the second time around? It sounds like there was more liquid or less flour in the batter the second time you made it because it took longer to bake and caved in. The caving in could also have something to do with the leavening agents not being able to give the batter enough lift. But I’m guessing it has more to do with the batter being too thin. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help.
I made this yesterday and it was exactly the way you described it. AMAZING. I love cooking but baking is not my strong point but this is totally fool proof, I literally couldn’t believe how perfect it looked when I took it out of the oven and also how incredibly moist it was. I made a mistake with the butter frosting because I wanted to do vanilla and didn’t replace the cocoa powder with more confectioners sugar…my bad, but it was still good.
Thank you for your rave review, Helen! I’m happy to hear the cake turned out so well for you. As for the frosting, simple mistake, but it still tasted good and that’s what’s important! Have a great week:)
Hi Lily, my son and I can’t wait to make this cake. Please can you confirm what type of sugar we need, is it granulated?
Many thanks
Hayley
Yes it is granulated sugar. I hope you and your son have fun making and eating the cake together!
If I want to make this for a 12 x18x2 sheet cake can I just double the recipe and use as much as the sheet can pan will take?
Yes exactly, you can double this recipe and fill a 12x18x2″ pan as much as it can take within reason because the cake will rise.
Hi Lily,
Can I leave the milk out from this recipe or use an alternative instead?
You can substitute it with any kind of non-dairy milk or just water. Feel free to email me back if you have any other questions and I hope you enjoy the cake!
I made this a couple of days ago for fun. I didn’t use the icing recipe. I reduced the sugar to 1 1/2 cups. The cake is SO soft, spongy, and moist without being overly sweet! A co-worker said the sponginess of the cake would make it a GREAT base for an ice cream cake… So I guess I gotta try that next! 🙂
Hi Jo,
Thank you for your lovely feedback, and I agree with your co-worker!
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!!
Thank you Hollie for your rave review! I’m glad you liked it:)
I just made this and it’s delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I do have a few questions for next time I make it.
How hot does the water need to be? Do you have a temperature reference?
And last one, I’m making a bear face cake for my sons birthday next month, and am wondering how long to let the cakes cool in the cake pan before I remove the cakes?
Thank you for your help! : )
You’re welcome and thank you for your kind review! I would say as hot as a cup of coffee, about 160F/71C. I find letting the cake cool to room temperature makes it easier to remove from the pan, especially when the pan has a lot of detail to it. I hope that helps and feel free to email me back if you have any further questions:)
Can you make this into a 1/2 sheet cake?
Yes, just cut the ingredients in half and reduce the baking time.
This looks like something a newbie baker can do. Can I replace the 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 cup hot water with 1 cup melted butter? Thank you.
You can replace the 1/2 cup oil with 1/2 cup melted butter, but you need to keep the 1 cup hot water as is. Enjoy and let me know if you have any other questions!
Can you make this a Plain cake without the cocoa
Hi Annamarie,
If you are looking for a vanilla sheet cake, you can try this recipe https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/vanilla-sheet-cake-vanilla-buttercream/ Let me know if you have any further questions. Enjoy!
I baked this for my son’s birthday party and he loved it so much he couldn’t stop asking for more!
Thank you for your review and happy birthday to your son!
Can you substitute the veg oil with coconut oil? I have soy allergies and just choose not to use veg oil for safety
Hi Courtney,
I have not tried it for myself, but from what I read online, you can substitute vegetable oil for coconut oil 1:1
I hope that helps and feel free to email me back if you have any other questions:)
I made this cake for my bfs 29th bday and used 2 small cake rounds which worked (almost overfilled but was fine). Also made the frosting which I’m not a fan of and won’t be making it again, 2nd time making this recipe about to put some cupcakes to bake. Really moist and sweet. I also use unsweetened soy milk and didn’t use all of the hot water bc I felt the batter was a bit runny last time.
May I know how much can I reduce the quantity of sugar and power sugar? I know this is a sweet dessert but I think it may be overly too sweet for myself. Please advise, thanks!
Hi Felicia,
You can start by reducing the sugar to 1 & 1/2 cups and see how you like it. I hope that helps and please feel free to email me back if you have any other questions. Enjoy and have a great day!
I made this cake last weekend – it is everything you say AND MORE! I will definitely be making it again. Thank you!
You’re very welcome Gina and thank you for your kind words. Have a wonderful day!
Something very homey and unpretentious about the choice of colored sprinkles that I really like! Plus everything you ever want in chocolate cake, no nonsense. I like!
Thanks Dave. I went with primary colors, that choice must be from the kid in me, lol.
Hi, how long should I bake it if I make cupcakes out of it?
About 15 minutes. Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Thanks! Will give it a shot!
Normally I’m not even a big fan of chocolate cake, but as soon as I saw this I wanted a slice. I love the sprinkles on top too 😉
Thanks Jess:) Have a great weekend! xx