Chocolate Sheet Cake
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Posted: 04/15/25
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A luscious chocolate sheet cake topped with silky-smooth, creamy homemade chocolate frosting.
I love cake and I love chocolate, so when you give me a chocolate cake I am in heaven! This is the best chocolate sheet cake recipe ever. It is perfectly moist, fluffy, and not too rich. The homemade frosting takes the decadent chocolate flavor to the next level too! Our easy chocolate icing recipe can also be used for any cake you like.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It will only take you about 15 minutes to prep this entire homemade chocolate sheet cake! And only an hour and 40 minutes to completely finish.
- Sheet cakes are a great way to feed a crowd! This recipe will provide 24 servings.
- This recipe is super easy to follow. It’s a great cake for beginner bakers to make, along with experienced bakers!
Ingredients Tips
- Buttermilk – If you don’t want to use buttermilk, you can use regular whole milk or 2% if you prefer. You can also make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any on hand.
- Large eggs – Allow the eggs to come to room temperature before you add them into the chocolate cake batter.
- Vegetable oil – Feel free to swap out the vegetable oil for olive oil, canola oil, or even melted butter.
- Unsalted butter – Feel free to use salted butter, just know that the flavor may change a tad if you use salted butter.
Fun Cake Toppings
Sprinkles are always a must for a fun cake! But you can add chocolate chips, sliced strawberries, candy letters, piped icing for words, and so much more. Get adventurous and add whatever you want to this tasty and simple cake
How to Bake a Chocolate Cake
Line an 18×13 sheet cake pan with parchment paper, leaving the sides of the paper sticking out over the top of the pan. Then, spray lightly with cooking spray and set aside. Set water in a saucepan or kettle to boil.
Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, room temperature eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
Stir the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, don’t over-mix!
Pour boiling water into the chocolate cake batter and stir until mixed well. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.
Pour the completed cake batter into the previously prepared sheet cake pan and carefully transfer it to the oven.
Bake in the oven for 26-27 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.
Remove the chocolate sheet cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan ono a wire rack before frosting the cake.
To make the chocolate frosting, beat together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla until light and fluffy. If the frosting is a bit too thick, add some more heavy cream to thin it out a bit!
Smooth the frosting into an even layer across the top of the cake and decorate with anything you want! Then slice and serve!
Pro Tips!
- Sifting is important so that it removes any lumps, so sift dry ingredients twice if needed.
- Make sure you smooth out the cake batter into an even layer so that the cake doesn’t dome in the middle and bakes flat.
- Don’t over-bake your cake, or it will dry out. Once it bounces back in the middle, it’s done!
- If you need to speed things up a bit, feel free to use store-bought chocolate frosting.
Storage
Store any leftovers of the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can wrap the cake pan in plastic wrap or transfer slices to an air-tight container if you want.
FRIDGE: Store leftover slices of cake in the refrigerator to extend the life of it by a few days.
FREEZER: Freeze an entire chocolate sheet cake or leftover slices in an airtight container, or in a sheet pan wrapped in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw before eating!
Everyone needs a go-to chocolate cake recipe, and this will be yours for years to come! I’m sure of it!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Easy to make Chocolate Sheet Cake that's moist and has a delicious homemade chocolate frosting that's light and fluffy.
pieces
Ingredients
Chocolate Sheet Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour* (350 grams)
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar (500 grams)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (75 grams)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups buttermilk room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting:
- 5 cups confectioners’ sugar (600 grams)
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter (340 grams), slightly melted (if cold from fridge, about 45 seconds in the microwave)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (75 grams)
- 4-5 Tablespoons heavy cream 35%
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line one 18” x 13” sheet cake pan with parchment paper (leave parchment paper slighter higher than the sides of the pan so it’s easier to lift the cake out after). Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray then set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sift together to remove any lumps (you may need to sift this twice). Set the dry ingredients aside for now.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla until well combined.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until mixed. Do not overmix. Be sure to stir these in by hand – do not use electric beaters for this.
- Pour the boiling water into the cake batter and stir until well mixed. Use a spatula to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
- Pour cake mix into the prepared sheet cake pan. This will be very full so be careful when transferring it to the oven.
- Bake in oven for 26 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and let cool completely in pan before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, cocoa powder, heavy cream and vanilla until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). If the frosting seems too thick, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream.
- Smooth an even layer of frosting over the top of the cake and decorate as desired.
- The cake can remain at room temperature (wrapped well in food-safe plastic wrap) for up to 3 days. After 3 days, refrigerate or freeze the leftovers (wrapped tightly in food-safe plastic wrap then placed into a sealed food safe container). Bring the cake back to room temperature before serving.
Tips
FRIDGE: Store leftover slices of cake in the refrigerator to extend the life of it by a few days.
FREEZER: Freeze an entire chocolate sheet cake or leftover slices in an airtight container, or in a sheet pan wrapped in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw before eating!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 368kcal (18%), Carbohydrates: 60g (20%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 14g (22%), Saturated Fat: 9g (56%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 56mg (19%), Sodium: 242mg (11%), Potassium: 151mg (4%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 46g (51%), Vitamin A: 450IU (9%), Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 45mg (5%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
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- Carrot Bundt Cake is such a delicious cake to make around Easter time!
- If you want more bundt cake recipes, then check out this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe.
Diane says
Can a 13 x 9 sheet pan be used?