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
I didn’t bake this yet, wondering if I can use coconut or oat milk?
Oat milk would be better in my opinion. Thank you for your question and I hope you enjoy the cake!
I’ve never made a cake without a box except ONE TIME. I suck at making about anything so I’m excited to see how this turns out! I’m making it with my BFF and she’s even worse than me!😂😂 I’ll comment how it turns out!
Made this for a birthday party. All the reviews are right! It’s the best cake I’ve ever made (and I just started baking). Very foolproof. So fluffy and moist. I was told people came back for seconds and even compared it to the cake from a popular bakery here. Amazing!! Thank you!!
You’re very welcome, Veronica! I’m so happy everyone at the birthday party loved it:)
Hi Lily. I want to make this cake again but I only have dutch cocoa powder available. Are there any adjustments that I should make to the rest of the ingredients in this case? Thanks!
No, not at all. Dutch and regular cocoa can be used interchangeably in this recipe. Enjoy!
This was a huge hit, tastes like a proper childhood homemade chocolate cake! We measured the ingredients on the kitchen scale. We cooked it on 150C in a fan forced oven for 45minutes (low and slow)
Is it a good cake recipe if I’m shaping it to look like a giant Popsicle? Or will it fall apart as I’m cutting it with my template?
It might be too soft and tender for something like that. I think you’ll need a sturdier and more dense cake.
I made this for the first time for my daughters birthday last month as a layer cake. It was a huge hit! I’m making it again for my friend’s birthday in a couple of weeks – I think I’ve found my new go-to birthday cake recipe. Thank you!!
You’re very welcome and thank you for your kind words! And happy birthday to all your friends and family you’ll be making this cake for:)
Excellent recipe! Soft, moist, rich, and decadent, plus the recipe is easy to follow.
This cake is amazing and so moist! I halved the recipe and used an 8×8 square pan. I started with a baking time of 25 minutes and then added another 12-15 minutes. It came out perfect.! My husband loved it so much, that I will make another cake to bring to the in-laws for Easter.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback and happy Easter!
tl;dr: this cake is tasty, a huge hit, I would do again every time.
I rarely ever leave reviews on recipes but I had to for this one – this was HEAVENLY! I have always made birthday cakes from box cake mixes because I’ve been too lazy/scared to attempt on my own. After this recipe though, I’ll never go back to the box cake mixes.
This cake was moist, flavourful, and not overly sweet. The only modification I made was using cake flour instead of AP, and the only adjustment I made was using more milk in the frosting (probably used closer to 8-9 tbsp) so it could spread more easily. The birthday boy was overjoyed – super glad this recipe is made for a big group because everyone kept coming back for more. I made it the night before and it has stayed moist. Thank you Lily!!
Aww, you’re very welcome, Katie! I’m so happy to hear that the birthday boy was overjoyed. Enjoy the cake for many birthdays to come!
Phenomenal. My son screamed “this is AMAZING!” What better endorsement could I ask for? Blows box cakes away.
Thank you for your rave review, Lisa! I’m so happy you and your son enjoyed the cake:)
I have been asked to make an enormous chocolate sheet cake for my granddaughter’s birthday party. I have a cake pan that measures 12x18x2”. I can’t find a recipe for a chocolate cake that would correctly fill my pan. It doesn’t appear that I can just double your recipe.
Any suggestions?😀
Oh wow, that is a large can pan and yes, you can double this recipe to fill your pan. Enjoy the cake and I wish your granddaughter a very happy birthday!
This was incredibly moist and delicious! My 10 year old daughter and I love your recipes and she did most of the work. It was easy for her to follow. Thank you!!
You’re very welcome, Vicky! That’s awesome that your daughter did most of the work. You have yourself a sweet little baker!
Your recipe looks delicious, and I would like to bake it for my 6-year old daughter’s birthday. We can’t have dairy, however. Can I replace the cow’s milk by a plant based milk? If so, should I keep the same amount of milk, and is there a specific plant based milk that you would recommend (e.g. oat or almond milk)? Likewise for the buttercream, can I use vegan butter and vegan cream?
Thanks a lot and happy holidays!
Hi Martha,
Yes, you can use plant-based milk and yes, you can use vegan butter and cream for the frosting. Enjoy and happy birthday to your daughter!
Such an easy and delicious recipe! The buttercream is so simple and brings this cake to a whole other level. Thank you for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Donna:) Enjoy and happy holidays!
Dear Lily, I made the chocolate sheet cake for my husband’s birthday yesterday and it was a hit eaten by all. Do you have a lemon sheet cake recipe ? Thanks for all your great recipes. Do you have a dessert recipe book ? Liz Waldman 🙋♀️🇨🇦🎂👏
You’re very welcome, Liz, and happy belated birthday to your husband. I don’t have a lemon sheet cake recipe but it’s been added to my to-do list for the new year. Stay tuned:)
I just made the cake part of this recipe and now it is cooling. I plan to make the icing part tomorrow morning because my husband’s birthday is tomorrow. What should I do with the cake when it has finished cooling between today and tomorrow morning Lily?🙋♀️🇨🇦🥳
You can just cover with saran or foil at room temperature until you are ready to frost tomorrow. Enjoy and happy birthday to your husband!
How long to bake if doubling the recipe and baking in a half sheet pan instead of quarter sheet?
I’ve never done that before, but I’m guessing 45-55 minutes.
Best chocolate cake I ever made, and I’ve tried many. I made this cake today for my sons 25th birthday and it was a hit! So moist and the frosting, so delicious! So very easy to make and that’s a bonus! This recipe is my new go to for moist chocolate cake. Thankyou again fo another winner!
You’re very welcome and happy belated birthday to your son!
A new family favourite 🥰
I have made this cake with regular white flour, but recently I have had a change and food diet. And I tried this recipe with gluten-free and it worked out really well. But do you think oat flour or almond flour would work with the same recipe and still add the hot water into it?
My wife and I love this recipe and would love to continue to make it if I can use the other types on flours
Hi Amber, thank you for your kind words. This recipe won’t work with just almond or oat flour. It’s best to use a GF flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions.