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 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
Hi,
I was wondering if I could bake this in a 9 by 13 pan and then cut it in half to stack on top of each other.
I want a thicker cake with layers of buttercream in between, so would that work?
Thanks!
Yes, I don’t see why not. Stay safe and happy baking!
Hi! If I use a ceramic baking dish, would it still be the same temp and time? Thanks!
Same temp, but it will probably take a few minutes longer to bake because ceramic retains heats more. I hope that helps. Stay safe and happy baking!
Hello! I got to your site using the search “fluffy and moist chocolate cake” and boy it was a blessing. I made this for Easter but decided to just coat it with ganache drizzled with my homemade salted caramel syrup. My family L.O.V.E.D it! Thanks to you! It really is fluffy and moist even after refrigerating. I am not a fan of heavy, dense cakes and luckily I landed here. I don’t often bake and it was a very long time since I last baked due to my schedule but the lockdown makes me get in touch to my side hobbies. From now on, this will be my go-to chocolate cake recipe. Oh, I am a fan of Life, Love and Sugar too!
Aww, thank you so much for your kind words, Layne! I’m so happy your family loved the cake. Enjoy and happy baking!
Hi the cake turned out real good; just that it had a slight metallic aftertaste the way too much baking soda sometimes tastes. Should I reduce the quantity of baking soda next time? Thanks!
Sure, you can reduce the baking soda by a 1/4 teaspoon if you can taste it. Thank you for your question and happy Easter!
Super easy & very tasty big thumbs up from our house thank you 😊
Hi! My cake tasted good but ended up not rising and was more like a brownie. Any tips or advice to make it rise next time?
I’m sorry to hear that your cake didn’t rise. Sounds like there was an issue with the leavening agents (baking powder and/or baking soda). They have either expired or there was not enough or even too much can cause the ratio to be off. I hope that helps and please feel free to reply back with any further questions. Take care!
Hello! Just wanted to let you know that I made this recipe for a lunch meal at work, and it was very well received. Matter of fact, they raved about it! This recipe is just perfect, and I even doubled it for my crew. The cake is moist and has a tender crumb, and paired with your frosting, the mouthfeel is just what you’d want for a good chocolate cake. Thank you for this!! I will definitely make it again.
You’re very welcome, Aimee! Thank you for such a lovely review. I’m glad everyone raved about it:)
Incredibly moist cake! Love that the recipe doesn’t call for any fancy ingredients such as buttermilk/sour cream! Don’t even need a mixer to bake this cake. It’s truly an easy recipe and I got lots of compliments for the cake 💙
I made this recipe,it was good. Next I will add coffee instead of water to get more of a chocolate flavor.
We love this cake!! It’s a huge it! Thank you for sharing. I would like to know how i can make this cake but Vanilla? Easy, Moist Vanilla Sheet Cake..
I’m glad you love the cake, Renee! I’ve never made this cake into a vanilla cake (but now you’ve got me thinking). You could try replacing the cocoa powder with more flour and increase the vanilla to 1 tbsp. You won’t need the water to be hot or you can replace it with more milk. I can’t guarantee the results as I’ve never tried it myself, but I do have this recipe for a vanilla sheet cake as well:
https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/vanilla-sheet-cake-vanilla-buttercream/
Hi Lily,
Thank you!! I’m going to try both, let you know how I made out!!
😃
Hello Lily,
Can I replace eggs with yoghurt?
Not with this recipe. I would suggest flax eggs or applesauce. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I’ve made this cake several times and it’s always so delicious! My kids say it’s their favourite chocolate cake.
I’m planning to bake this in one large round tin next. Do you have any recommendations on how large in diameter a cake tin I should use and how long I should bake for to achieve the same result as the original sheet method ?
Hi Jade,
You could go as large as a 12″ round. Baking time would probably be similar. Or you could bake it into two 9″ or 8″ rounds. Those baking times are listed in the note section of the recipe card.
Can I use cake flour for this recipe? Will it make it better? I haven’t tried it yet just wondering. Also can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
Hi Amber,
It’s not necessary to use cake flour for this recipe. The cake is already soft and tender enough. Yes, you can use buttermilk instead of regular milk.
Thank you Lily, this was my second weekend in a row baking this chocolate cake. We love it! I made it a 2 layer round originally and tried a sheet cake the second time. I reduced the sugar a bit on the cake and icing. Can’t wait to try your other recipes! BK
You’re very welcome, Barbara! I’m glad you like the cake so much and thank you for your wonderful feedback.
How perfect is that frosting too???
The frosting is very perfect! Sweet, chocolatey, and creamy-smooth. Perfect for the cake.
Can this be doubled and made into a double layer sheet cake?
Yes, I don’t see why not. I hope you enjoy the cake and have a great day!
Awesome!!! Except I halved the sugar in both recipes 🙂 LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
Do I store these in the fridge?
Yes, I always prefer to store cakes in the fridge to be safe. Thank you for your rave review!
Hi! I just wanted to say that I made this cake today, and despite the uneven shape (my fault), it was…amazing actually. The sugar was perfectly balanced, the chocolate smell was exceptional (I added a packet of Nescafe coffee), and it never burned. I do have a questions though.
Is the cake supposed to airy and spongey? The only cake I’ve ever made that had this consistency was a boxed red velvet mix. I feel as though I may have whipped too much air into it (same thought with the red velvet), but I’m not sure. I used a disposable pan and sat it on top of a large cookie sheet in case of spills, but my oven has a tendency to “pop”, with the hot air causing flexible baking equipment to kind to bend My cookie sheet ended up bending, with my pan also being tilted. I tried guiding the batter to the other side to make sure the cake was even, but of course it wasn’t. Could the sheet and pan bending (along with me unfortunately having to open the oven so many times) be the reason why the cake was extremely airy?
Hi David,
Yes, the cake is suppose to be soft and fluffy like a sponge. Was the texture similar to my photos and like the cake in my video? If it was extremely airy than perhaps there was too much air whipped into the batter. Just whisk a little more gently next time to prevent creating too many air bubbles. I don’t think opening the oven had anything to do with it. Though opening the oven too often is never good because your effecting the baking temperature. I noticed with my thinner cookie sheets, they sometimes bend in the oven as well, but never with my thicker commercial grade sheets. So perhaps look for a thicker more sturdy baking sheet the next time you are out and about. I hope that helps and thank you for the star rating. Please feel free to email me back if you have any further questions:)
This looks amazing, I’m really excited to try it. Would you have any idea what I can use instead of eggs in this recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Jessie,
You can try using one of the substitutes recommended in the article below. Please note that I’m not making any guarantees as I’ve haven’t tried it for myself. Good luck! https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/egg-substitutes-for-baking/
Such a lovely cake! Made it for my Dad’s birthday and everyone loved it. I decided to lightly dust it with powdered sugar instead of the buttercream and it was magical.
Hi Antonia,
So glad to hear everyone loved the cake! Thank you for your lovely feedback and happy belated birthday to your dad.