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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.
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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.
My favorite go to dessert! The texture always comes out perfect. Easy for a crowd and tastes sooooo good!
Just made this yum! Is the frosting suppose to come to a boil or no?
I just made this recipe today and sadly, it was a hot mess. It raised as it baked and spilled over the sheet pan, falling to the bottom of the oven. The cake was a mess and my cleanup was even worse. I can not recommend this recipe and obviously will not use it again. The chocolate flavor was not very strong, from the little bits I ate from the pan. I’m very disappointed.
Hi Lee! So sorry to hear you didn’t have a great experience with the recipe. Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
This cake is amazing!!!! I have made several treats from Lil Luna and every recipe is SO good! It is my go-to when I want to try something new. You won’t be disappointed in any of the recipes!!
We’ve made this cake a handful of times now and it’s a favorite! Can’t leave off the sprinkles, ever!
This is the best sheet cake! I have even done it with Bob Red Mill GF flour 1:1 and turned out amazing.
Oh that’s good to know it turns out great with GF flour too. Thanks for sharing! So glad you enjoy the sheet cake.
Best chocolate sheet cake hands down!! Crowd pleaser for sure!
Oh. My. Goodness!! This cake is absolutely amazing. I am mind blown! I am replacing this recipe with my old one!!
Oh yay!! So glad you loved the cake recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely positively my favorite chocolate cake! Amazingly moist and flavorful!
I’m so glad you have a new favorite chocolate cake! Thanks for sharing!
Best sheet cake ever! I have made this twice in the last week.
That makes me so happy! Thank you so much!