I love chocolate and there is plenty of it in this Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting. The cake batter is made from a mixture of semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder, the frosting contains milk chocolate and it is finished off with chopped semi-sweet chocolate on top. To all chocolate lovers, all I can say is you have to try this cake. So incredibly delicious.
The Dutch-processed cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate in the cake are responsible for the intense chocolate flavor, while the milk chocolate in the frosting contrasts nicely with the rich flavor of the cake.
I can always eat chocolate cake, but especially at this time of year when it’s cold outside, I’m a big fan of a rich chocolate cake. This is real comfort food for me.
Tools & Equipment
- 33x23cm/13×9-inch baking pan
- Cutting board
- Large bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Offset spatula
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife
- Silicone spatula
- Whisk
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Chocolate: You can use dark or semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe. The only important thing is that you use high quality chocolate, because you will definitely taste the difference. I like to use the Callebaut brand.
Cocoa Powder: I suggest making this cake with a Dutch-processed cocoa powder. If you use a natural cocoa powder, the cake will turn out drier. My favorite is the one from Valrhona.
Parchment Paper: You can serve the cake directly from the pan, in that case you don’t necessarily need to line the pan with parchment. However, if you want to remove the sheet cake from the pan after baking, I suggest lining the pan with parchment first, so you can easily lift it out after it has cooled.
Ingredients for Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Directions – How to Make Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Make the Cake
Preheat the oven to 163°C/325°F. Lightly spray a 30x23cm/13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment. Whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium saucepan combine milk, chocolate and cocoa powder.
Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, for about 5 minutes. Add canola oil, eggs, and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth and homogeneous.
Add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is firm in the center when lightly pressed. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, for 1-2 hours.
Make the Frosting
Fill a medium saucepan with 2,5cm/1-inch of water and bring to a simmer. Mix the chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan. Whisk the mixture occasionally until the chocolate is fully melted, smooth and glossy, for 10-15 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Add the butter, stirring once or twice to break up the pieces. Let sit for 5 minutes until the butter has melted, then whisk until completely smooth. Chill the frosting in the fridge until cooled and thickened, for 30-60 minutes. Once chilled, whisk the frosting until smooth. The color of the frosting will lighten and it should hold its shape on the whisk.
Spread the frosting evenly over the cake and smooth the surface. Chop some chocolate into small pieces and spread on top of the frosting. Cut the cake into squares and serve out of the pan, alternatively lift the cake out of the pan and cut into squares.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storage: You can store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
My Summary for Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste & Texture: The cake itself is moist and has an intense chocolate flavor. The frosting is creamy and the chopped chocolate on top adds a little crunch to the cake.
Time: Making the cake batter takes about 40 minutes. Baking time is 30-35 minutes. After that, the cake needs to cool for 1-2 hours. To make the frosting, you should plan 20 minutes. Then, the frosting needs to chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Finishing the cake takes another 5-10 minutes.
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