This dark chocolate sheet cake is super moist, made in one bowl chocolate cake that is topped with dark chocolate buttercream frosting. This cake was made for us chocolate lovers.
Why this recipe works
- Extremely easy to make.
- An extra moist cake that stays moist for 3 days!
- Made with simple ingredients.
- Perfect to make when you are craving chocolate!
- Serves a crowd and always gets rave reviews.
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Ingredients
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe, self-rising flour, and cake flour will work great as well.
Dutch cocoa powder– we like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for our chocolate cake because we like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Baking powder and baking soda – to allow the cake to rise.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Vegetable oil – we used vegetable oil for this recipe. canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Eggs– To give the cake a good structure. Make sure you’re using room-temperature eggs.
Vanilla extract– Vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for chocolate cake.
Salt– We used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give the cake a salty taste, it helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Water- we used water and hot water in the cake batter. The water makes this cake super moist and fluffy.
For the chocolate frosting:
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of this delicious frosting. Make sure that your butter is at room temperature.
Powder sugar- you will need powder sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powder sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Cocoa powder- we used Dutch cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder is extra chocolaty and rich in flavor.
Kosher salt- to balance out the sweet flavor.
Vanilla extract– Vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for frosting.
Milk- use whole milk.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a 9x13 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Into a big mixing bowl, add the eggs, vegetable oil, and sugar and mix with a whisk until well combined.
Step 3: Add the room temperature water, sift the cocoa powder, add the baking powder, and baking soda, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
Step 4: Then, add the flour and mix until almost combined. Add the hot water and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in a preheated 180c (350f) oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with moist crumbs.
Step 6: Let the cake cool to room temperature. Don't frost a warm cake, because the frosting will melt off the cake.
Make the dark chocolate buttercream:
Step 1: Into a big mixing bowl, add the soft butter, powder sugar, vanilla extract, and sift in the cocoa powder.
Step 2: Mix at low speed until the frosting comes together.
Step 3: Increase the speed to medium to high speed and mix for about 3 minutes until the frosting is silky and smooth.
Step 4: Top the room temperature cake with the frosting and make a wave pattern with a spatula.
Expert tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cake and not dense and dry cake.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making this cake, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the frosting.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to eat and frost this cake as its pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least and hour so it will be more firm and won’t crumble up. This step ensures that the frosting won’t melt off the cake. You never want to frost warm cupcakes or cakes.
Faq's
This cake will last up to 5 days stored in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. This cake tastes amazing the day after.
We like to use Dutch prosses cocoa powder because it gives the cake a deeper rich chocolate taste. We highly recommend not replacing the Dutch cocoa powder with natural cocoa powder.
We use all-purpose flour for this cake, cake flour will work great as well.
Freezing
Freeze this cake after it cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months, some people find the cake tastes better after freezing it.
our tip is not to freeze it decorated or covered with frosting, because it can ruin the decorating on the cake, we suggest freezing the cake and decorating it when you defrost it.
If you’re not looking to impress anyone with your decorating skills, it’s absolutely okay to freeze the cake with the frosting on.
Substitutions
There are a few substitutions that may be helpful for your diet:
- Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
- Dairy-free- you can make this cake dairy-free by replacing the butter with vegan butter or using your favorite dairy-free chocolate ganache.
More chocolate recipes:
Double chocolate banana bread- This double chocolate banana bread is filled and topped with chocolate chips, extra moist, and melt in your mouth delicious. Since we started making this double chocolate banana bread, it become our favorite banana bread recipe ever!
Best ever chocolate muffins- This is the most amazing chocolate cupcake recipe. These chocolate cupcakes are moist, fluffy, full of rich chocolate flavor, and come together in one bowl.
Favorite chocolate cake- This is the best ever chocolate cake ever. I’ve been searching for the best one bowl chocolate cake recipe for so long and found it and can’t wait to share it with you!
Best fudgy brownies- These fudgy brownies are made from scratch brownies are loaded with chocolate chunks, and take under an hour to make. These brownies are fudgy, rich in chocolate flavor, have a crinkly top, and are gooey on the inside.
Chewy double chocolate cookies- These double chocolate cookies are chewy, soft, have slightly soft edges, and are loaded with chocolate flavor and chocolate chips!
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📖 Recipe
Dark Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 4 cups Flour
- ⅔ cup Dutch cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 2 ½ cups Granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups Vegetable oil
- 4 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Water
- 2 cups Hot water/Hot coffee
For the chocolate frosting:
- 230 g Butter
- 350 g Powder sugar
- 100 g Cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3-5 teaspoon Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a 9x13 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- Into a big mixing bowl, add the eggs, vegetable oil, and sugar and mix with a whisk until well combined.
- Add the room temperature water, sift the cocoa powder, add the baking powder, and baking soda, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
- Then, add the flour and mix until almost combined. Add the hot water and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in a preheated 180c (350f) oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature. Don't frost a warm cake, because the frosting will melt off the cake.
Make the dark chocolate buttercream:
- Into a big mixing bowl, add the soft butter, powder sugar, vanilla extract, and sift in the cocoa powder.
- Mix on low speed until the frosting comes together.
- Increase the speed to medium to high speed and mix for about 3 minutes until the frosting is silky and smooth.
- Top the room temperature cake with the frosting and make wave pattern with a spatula.
Tara
The cake is massive and is taking forever to cook inside. I didn't mess up the ingredients but I feel like I made 2 cakes in 1 pan! 40 minutes and it's practically raw inside.
RichandDelish
This cake is indeed big! Every oven is different, some need more time to bake, but it should turn fine after a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with some moist crumbs! Hope this helps.
Nargess
I would love to make this. Can I use black cocoa instead of Dutch cocoa for a more intense chocolate colour and flavour?
Thank you
RichandDelish
I never tried it, but it should work.
David
This cake is so moist and fluffy and the dark chocolate frosting is a dream!