CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE
A SIMPLE SHEET VERSION OF MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CAKE THAT CAN BE DRESSED UP OR DOWN FOR ANY OCCASION.
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER | QUANTITY: 18X13” SHEET CAKE
LISTS
GROCERY LIST:
2 ½ sticks | Unsalted Butter (plus more for buttering sheet pan - about 1 tablespoon)
2 large | Eggs
1 cup | Buttermilk
½ cup | Vegetable or Canola Oil
2 cups | Granulated Sugar
3 cups | Confectioners’ Sugar
1 ¾ cups | All-purpose Flour
¾ cups | Cocoa Powder (plus more for dusting sheet pan - about 1 ½ tablespoons)
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons | Baking Soda
1 teaspoon | Baking Powder
2 teaspoons | Vanilla Extract
6 ounces | Semisweet Chocolate Chunks
Brand recommendation - Scharffen Berger Baking Chunks
1 cup | Coffee (freshly brewed)
1 tablespoon | Instant Coffee
KITCHENWARE:
18x13-inch Baking Sheet
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer w/ Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl & Heat-resistant Bowl
Measuring Spoons & Cups, Sieve (fine mesh strainer), Rubber Spatula, Pastry Brush & Offset Spatula
PREP
Helpful tips!
Let butter and eggs come to room temperature by leaving out for about 1 hour*.
Let buttermilk come to room temperature by leaving out for about 30 minutes*.
When measuring flour and cocoa powder, don’t pack them or you will end up adding more into the mixture and risk having a drier cake. Instead, use a large spoon to scoop into measuring cups and level off with the handle of the spoon.
Don’t sift kosher salt. It’s usually not fine enough to get through the sieve.
*Dependent on the temperature of your home
BAKE
CAKE:
1 tablespoon | Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 ¾ cup | All-purpose Flour
¾ cups | Cocoa Powder
2 cups | Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons | Baking Soda
1 teaspoon | Baking Powder
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
1 cup | Buttermilk (room temperature)
½ cup | Vegetable or Canola Oil
2 large | Eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
1 cup | Coffee (freshly brewed)
FROSTING:
6 ounces | Semisweet Chocolate
1 tablespoon | Instant Coffee
2 teaspoons | Water (hot)
2 ½ sticks | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
3 cups | Confectioners’ Sugar
Brew a cup of hot coffee. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350° F and place rack in the center of the oven.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush about 1 tablespoon of oil on sheet and place parchment paper on top to adhere to the sheet.
Butter top of parchment paper with 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter. Use your hands to smear butter all over the bottom, corners and sides of the inside of the sheet. Sprinkle about 1 ½ tablespoons of cocoa powder over buttered sheet and rotate and tap the sheet to move cocoa powder around to completely coat the bottom, corners and sides. Tap out excess. This will allow for an easy and clean removal. Set aside.
Make the cake by sifting flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and baking powder in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large bowl. Add salt, mix and set aside.
Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and mix well.
Turn your stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low or use a hand mixer on low and slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, slowly add in the freshly brewed coffee and mix until combined. Batter will be very liquidy. Use a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients at the bottom and around the edges are incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared sheet and bake cake for 15 minutes. Quickly rotate sheet to ensure an even bake and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Don’t leave your oven open too long or you run of the risk of your cake sinking. Cool the cake in the pans for at least 30 minutes before transferring to fridge to firm up for at least 1 hour.
While cake cools, place chocolate in a heat-resistant bowl set over a pot of simmering water with the heat on the lowest setting. You shouldn’t need more than 2-inches of water and want to ensure the bottom of the bowl is not sitting in the water. Stir the chocolate frequently until melted. Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
Dissolve the instant coffee in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. Mix and set aside.
Make the frosting by beating the room temperature butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar until mostly mixed. Increase speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl until smooth and creamy. On low speed add the cooled melted chocolate and instant coffee mixture until blended, but don’t overwhip. Set aside.
Once cake is cooled either frost directly on sheet cake or cut into squares or rectangles and frost individually. Decorate with your favorite toppings.
Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature.
