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Our best-loved chocolate sheet cake topped with smooth chocolate frosting is simply delicious and feeds a crowd!
best-ever Sheet Cake
We think it’s pretty hard NOT to like cake – especially chocolate cake.
It happens to be a personal favorite, but more than ANY other recipe on the website, this chocolate sheet cake recipe is my favorite. No joke – I crave it fortnightly and can never stop eating it because it’s so MOIST and DELICIOUS!!
This also happens to be one of our top desserts we make when company comes over, because it’s easy, it’s delicious and it feeds a crowd (another favorite is our White Texas Sheet Cake).
It’s perfect for gatherings, holidays, parties, BBQs and anything else you can imagine. And it’s especially addicting served with vanilla ice cream. We can’t have this cake lying around at the house, because we will literally eat the whole pan. It’s just so soft, has the best chocolate flavor and is SO addicting!!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- For sharing! This sheet pan cake is great for feeding a crowd. It makes around 24 servings.
- No fuss. This is one EASY cake. There is little prep and it bakes up in only 20 minutes. No layers, just a soft, chocolatey cake!
- Our best-loved sheet cake! This is a top-requested recipe and one we often bring to events and potlucks.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – see how to Measure Flour Correctly
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – use natural cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate better
- 1 cup buttermilk – see how to Make Your Own Buttermilk (buttermilk subs can be used, but we highly recommend real buttermilk for best results) 😉
- 1 cup hot water
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil – or canola oil or melted coconut oil
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- toppings (optional) – chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, milk or white chocolate chips, chopped toffee, or toasted coconut
How to Make Chocolate Sheet Cake
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 11×15 cake pan and set aside.
- BATTER. Stir 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 2 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup hot water, and ⅔ cup oil to the dry ingredients. Beat with a hand mixer until combined and smooth (it should be runny). Pour the chocolate mixture into a greased 11×15-inch baking dish.
- BAKE. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- FROSTING. Melt ½ cup butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 5 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add 3½ cups powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
- Remove from the heat and pour over the warm cake. Spread frosting quickly and add nuts right away, since frosting sets up quickly.
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot water
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- chopped nuts, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, hot water, and oil. Beat with a hand mixer until combined and smooth (it should be runny). Pour into a greased 11×15-inch baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Frosting
- Melt butter in a medium pot over low heat. Add cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
- Remove from the heat and pour over the warm cake. Spread frosting quickly and add nuts right away, since frosting sets up quickly.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Wedding-sized pieces: 1×2 inches
Party-sized pieces: 2×2 inches
Dessert-size pieces: 3×2.5 inches
Make the cake as instructed, but do not add frosting. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 24 hours, or freeze for 2 months. When ready to serve, make frosting and add it to the cake.
Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for 2-3 days or in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1-2 months.
the white chocolate sheet cake sounds yummie! can you use buttermilk to make this cake?
Yes, the recipe calls for buttermilk, but if you don’t have buttermillk you can use milk + 1 tsp. lemon juice – works great too. 🙂
Just wondering if 3 tsps baking soda is a lot in ratio 2 cups of flour?
How much butter is a “cube” for the frosting? Thanks!
1/2 cup or 1 stick. 🙂
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Thanks again for this. I keep coming back to your site for this recipe.
I love your blog so much! yesterday was my birthday and I am going to make myself that cake today! Thanks!
That cake looks seriously amazing. I have a major sweet tooth and will be baking it soon!
I love your site! I am gonna make that cake tonight! YUMMAY! my mouth is watering!
BAKING THE CAKE NOW!
YUM! That cake does look de-LISH! I am going to try that this week. Thanks!