Chocolate Sheet Cake

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This easy chocolate sheet cake is sure to become a staple in your recipe collection. The batter comes together in minutes, the cake itself is super moist and flavorful, and the chocolate buttercream is light, fluffy, and totally to die for.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Fabulous texture. Although my recipe for the Best Chocolate Cake is undeniably the moistest ever, this one is a close runner-up. It’s moist and wonderfully tender. You won’t be able to keep your fork out of it.
  • Fluffy frosting. The frosting for this cake is so light and fluffy. It’s the perfect complement to the tender cake beneath it. Learn more about what makes this frosting so special in the section below titled “What Makes This Cake Different?”.
  • Easy to make. This is such a simple chocolate cake recipe. The mixing method for the batter is straightforward (no fancy creaming or anything like that) and comes together in minutes. Plus, it’s a sheet cake. So, you won’t need to worry about stacking, filling, and frosting any layers.
slice of chocolate sheet cake on a plate with a bite taken out

What Makes This Cake Different?

I have a library of chocolate cake recipes on my site. You might be asking yourself, “What sets this one apart?”. I’ll tell you.

  • One layer. This is a sheet cake which means that all of the batter goes into one baking pan. No fancy layers to stack. Just bake the cake, let it cool, and spread frosting over the top.
  • Fast baking. Most of my chocolate layer cake recipes bake at 300°F and need about 30 minutes in the oven when the batter is divided between three 8-inch cake pans. This one bakes at 350°F in about the same amount of time but all of the batter is in one larger baking pan. Much more efficient.
  • A fluffier frosting. This is my usual chocolate frosting, but I beat it for a few minutes for this cake. This incorporates more air into the frosting, making it super light and fluffy.
  • Slightly firmer texture. My layered chocolate cake recipe (mentioned above) is truly the most tender chocolate cake, but sometimes it’s a little too tender, depending on what you need or want. This chocolate cake has a little less liquid and uses both baking soda and baking powder to achieve a little bit firmer texture, while still being super tender and amazing.

Looking for more chocolate cake recipes? I have been obsessed with this German Chocolate Cake lately, but feel free to peruse all of my chocolate cake recipes. Let me know which is your favorite.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s what you’ll need to make this chocolate sheet cake recipe. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

For the cake

  • All-purpose flour – Make sure to measure the flour correctly. Otherwise, you won’t end up with the proper texture for your cake layers. You don’t want a dry cake.
  • Sugar
  • Natural unsweetened cocoa powder – You could use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead for a richer chocolate flavor, but it may not rise quite as much.
  • Baking soda and baking powder – I used both to get the perfect rise and texture.
  • Salt – Salt adds flavor to food and that’s true in baked goods. Without it, your cake will be bland.
  • Milk – I suggest using 2% or whole milk.
  • Vegetable oil – I used vegetable oil instead of butter in this recipe. It makes the cake so wonderfully moist.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
  • Hot water – The hot water helps the cocoa powder bloom, bringing out its full chocolaty flavor potential.

To make the frosting

  • Unsalted butter – The butter should be softened to room temperature before using. If it is too cold, your frosting will turn out lumpy. If it is melted, the frosting will be runny.
  • Powdered sugar – To add volume to the buttercream and also control the consistency.
  • Natural unsweetened cocoa powder – Dutch-processed cocoa powder will also work if you want a richer chocolate flavor.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy cream – You could use milk, but it will thin out your frosting more quickly.
  • Chocolate shavings – I decorated this cake with chocolate shavings by running a vegetable peeler along the side of a chocolate baking bar. Feel free to use sprinkles or something else, as well.
close up angled image of a slice of chocolate sheet cake on white plate

How to Make Chocolate Sheet Cake

Get ready for an awesome cake. Here’s a quick overview of how to make this easy chocolate cake. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Make the Cake

  • Prepare your pan & preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray.
  • Mix the dry ingredients. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
  • Mix the wet ingredients. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
  • Combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Add the hot water and mix until combined.
  • Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cool. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely.

Make the Chocolate Frosting

  • Beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
  • Add the sugar. Slowly add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  • Add vanilla and cream and mix until smooth.
  • More sugar and cocoa powder. Add remaining powdered sugar and cocoa powder and mix until smooth.
  • Add remaining cream until the frosting is the right consistency.
  • Beat to add air. Beat frosting on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it has lightened in color and gotten fluffy.
  • Frost. Spread frosting evenly onto the cake. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired.
fully frosted chocolate sheet cake in the pan with chocolate shavings on top

Getting Your Frosting Just Right

This is essentially my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting except with a little less sugar. I also beat the frosting for an extra couple of minutes to incorporate more air. The result? The lightest, fluffiest chocolate buttercream ever. So don’t skimp on that 2-3 minutes of whipping the buttery, sugary, chocolate frosting into a frenzy.

As always, remember to start with room-temperature butter. If it is too cold, you’ll find yourself with lumpy frosting.

More Tips for Success

Want to get this homemade chocolate cake right the first time around? Pay attention to these pro tips and tricks.

  • Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, do not over-mix. This can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, resulting in a tough, overly dense cake.
  • Make sure the water is hot. You want the water to be piping hot. The heat helps the cocoa powder bloom, leaving you with a much more satisfying chocolate flavor.
  • Room temperature butter. Allow the butter for the frosting to soften at room temperature before using. If it is too cold, your frosting will turn out lumpy. If the butter is too melted, the frosting will turn out runny.
  • Let it cool. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it. If it is too warm, the frosting will melt and slide right off.
slice of chocolate sheet cake on white plate and cream colored napkin

How to Store This Cake

Cover any leftover chocolate sheet cake with a double layer of plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Recipes to Try

Watch How to Make It

Read Transcript

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slice of chocolate sheet cake with a bite taken out
Recipe

Easy Moist Chocolate Cake

  • Author: Life, Love and Sugar
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 32 minutes
  • Total Time: 52 minutes
  • Yield: 12-15 Servings
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This chocolate cake recipe is super easy to put together, moist and delicious! It’s almost as easy as a box mix, but even tastier.


Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
  • 2 cups (414g) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 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 Frosting

  • 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups (345g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup (57g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 45 tbsp (60-75ml) heavy cream
  • Sprinkles, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
  3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
  5. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.
  8. To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
  9. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  10. Add the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of cream and mix until smooth.
  11. Add remaining powdered sugar and cocoa and mix until smooth.
  12. Add remaining cream as needed and mix until smooth, keeping an eye on the consistency of the frosting so it doesn’t get too thin.
  13. Beat frosting on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it has lightened in color and gotten fluffy.
  14. Spread frosting evenly onto the cake. Top with sprinkles, if desired.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 430
  • Sugar: 47.2 g
  • Sodium: 421.7 mg
  • Fat: 19.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 63 g
  • Protein: 5.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 27.3 mg

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485 Comments
  1. Dirk

    Hello from sunny South Africa.

    My wife loves moist chocolate cakes, I normally buy the boxes and have tried my hand at one or two recipes to her disappointed (not said but noted). So I came across this one, made it according to the recipe and what a surprise! The best one yet. she was so impressed I am now standing and making our twins’ first year birthday cake from this recipe. Thanks for getting me husband browniepoints to be used later when the rugby is on. Keep up the good work.
    Dirk






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! A couple fun facts – my husband is also from South Africa and we have twin boys. I also made them this cake for their first birthday. 🙂 I hope they enjoy the cake!

  2. Samantha

    I hated it. It fell apart when I took it out and I had to start all over with a different recipe obviously. The cake didn’t rise properly, although I folllowed the cooking time it wouldn’t riise in the middle until burnt.

    1. Lindsay

      Hey Samantha, this is one of my most tried and true recipes so I know it turns out correctly. Did you use a 9 x 13 pan? Can you describe how it fell apart? I’d like to try to help. And if it didn’t rise properly, I would check your baking soda and baking powder to make sure that they are still good.

  3. Louisa

    Love love love the flavour! So moist and light. But I think I may have done something wrong? It ended up in the oven for about an hour. As after 32 minutes it was still completely runny.
    What did I do wrong? Help!!!






    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say without being there to see. It’s possible it’s a difference in our ovens and that it just needs a little more time in yours. It’s also possible that you accidentally added a little more of one of the liquid ingredients. That can happen so easily, I did it just the other day when I was cooking.

  4. Aunt J

    This is my go-to chocolate cake! It never fails, does not destroy the kitchen, earns rave reviews, is made from normal pantry stock and travels well. Today it was the fave at a wedding I catered; not a crumb remained. Moist, rich, chocolaty to the max and the very creamy frosting rocks it.

  5. Samrah

    Hi, Lindsay.
    Thank you so much for this brilliant recipe! I made it yesterday for my brother’s birthday and the cake turned out perfectly. The best part, however, was how simple the recipe was, and how easy it was to follow the instructions! Will definitely make it again!

  6. Yetunde

    I baked this cake for my son’s birthday. I had never heard of adding hot water to a cake batter before. It resulted in a very liquidy batter. It baked fine but took quite a bit longer than the recipe says. Not sure if I did something wrong but the cake was fantastic all the same. I will try next time and skip the water to see the difference.

  7. Suhair

    Hi! I made your cake before and it was a winner!
    This time I made it again, used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa instead of Hintz, different brand of baking soda, and hand mixing, it turned out perfect except for a little weird chemical taste! Why do you think that happened??
    I used same ingredients with a muffin recipe yesterday and it was fine

  8. Isabella L.

    I was worried about how runny the batter was but I cooked it anyways and I’m so glad I did. This is the absolute best chocolate cake I have ever had. Thank you so much for the recipe. I will be keeping it for a very long time.






  9. Tatiana

    Hi! I baked this cake twice. It is delicious and moist however my cake didn’t rise enough. Do you have any idea why it is happening?
    Thanks 😊 






    1. Lindsay

      No, I don’t. The method is pretty straightforward so I would check your leaving agent to make sure it’s still good.

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29