The best thing about sheet cakes is that they are an effortless way to make the most decadent cakes. This is the best moist chocolate sheet cake you will ever make. It's dark, light, rich and moist. Perfect to eat on its own or decorated with frosting for a celebration cake. This is a simple recipe with minimal effort.
This is one of my most popular chocolate sheet cake recipes so far. I have been making it for years; much before I became a cake decorator. The best part about this recipes is that it's simple, easy, and forgiving recipe. Which means, that you don't have to be so precise and perfect with your measurements. If you use a little less water, or your flour measurement is off by a few tablespoons - that's OK. The cake will be a little denser, but still delicious. So, it's a great recipe for those of you just starting out as bakers. Also, it's ideal for seasoned bakers like me that just want a quick recipe.
The ingredients look like a lot, but they aren't complicated. In recent years, as a professional cake decorator, I have made more big sheet cakes than small cakes. And I know that most people want to use sheet cakes as birthday cakes. So, I'm giving you the measurements for a 13 x 9 inch sheet cake.
But as you can see in the images, my cake is not big. I baked three such cakes out of one recipe. So, I could send the other two as a gift to a couple of friends. Also, it looked more aesthetic to take this picture than just a big sheet cake.
Using this sheet cake
As I said, this is a light sheet cake, which means it does not work for your novelty cake. If you need a cake for carving, use my recipe Chocolate Cake perfect for carving - the best cake for sculpting. The less you do with this cake the better. You can frost it with buttercream and even cover it with fondant, but do not try carving it as it can be messy.
- Today, I simply added melted chocolate chips as frosting, but there is so much more you can do. (my kids favorite)
- If you like a lightly frosted chocolate cake - top it with whipped cream (my favorite of all).
- A rich frosting would be a good Swiss Meringue Buttercream (absolute heaven).
- And, an indulgent chocolate heaven would be to go with rich dark Chocolate Ganache - (only recommended for chocolate lovers).
A full recipe makes this size of a sheet cake. This is the same recipe used for this birthday cake. It's frosted with my Velvet American Buttercream and covered in my Homemade Sugar Paste fondant recipe. I have shared the progress pictures on how I hand painted the image on the cake in this tutorial. Hand Painted Bakugan Cake.
Step by step instructions
Prepare
- Preheat the oven to 170 C/340 F.
- Grease and line one 13 x 19 inch sheet pan or two 8 x 10 inch rectangular pans.
- Have all your ingredients ready at room temperature.
- Add the boiling water into the coffee and cocoa powder - set aside to cool.
- Combine the yogurt and the mix - use to whisk to ensure no lumps.
Mix dry Ingredients
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix wet Ingredients
- In another bowl - add melted butter and oil.
- Add both the sugars.
- Using a whisk whip until the sugars are almost melted.
- Add eggs, one at a time, until each is well combined.
- Next, add the cooled cocoa mixture into the sugar mixture - mix well.
- Followed by the yogurt/milk mixture - stir well.
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
- Use a whisk to ensure no lumps or dry flour remains behind.
- This is a very liquid batter and that's normal.
Bake
- Pour into your baking pan and bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- A single 13 x 11 sheet pan will take about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Two small rectangular pans will take 20 to 30 minutes each.
Chocolate Topping
- As soon as you take the hot cake out of the oven.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips on the cake surface and cover with a foil for ten minutes to cool.
- The heat in the chocolate will melt the chocolate chips.
- After 10 minutes remove foil.
- Use a spatula to smear the melted chocolate.
- Decorate when completely cold.
Don't forget to save this tutorial on Pinterest for later. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Best Moist Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe
Print Pin RateDescription
Ingredients
Makes 1 - 9 x 13 sheet pan
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 g) All purpose flour (17 oz)
- 1 cup (86 g) Cocoa powder (3 oz)
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients
Frosting
- 10 oz (280 g) Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat the oven to 170 C/340 F.
- Grease and line one 13 x 19 inch sheet pan of two 8 x 10 inch rectangular pans.
- Have all your ingredients ready at room temperature.
- Add the boiling water into the coffee and Cocoa powder - set aside to cool.
- Combine the yogurt and the mix - use to whisk to ensure no lumps.Â
Mix Dry Ingredients
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix Wet Ingredients
- In another bowl - add melted butter and oil.
- Add both the sugars.
- Using a whisk whip until the sugars..
- Add eggs one at a time until each is well combined.
- Next, add the cooled cocoa mixture into the sugar mixture - mix well.
- Followed by the yogurt/milk mixture - stir well.
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
- Use a whisk to ensure no lumps or dry flour remains behind.
- This is a very liquid batter and that's normal.Â
Bake
- Pour into your baking pan and bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- A single 13 x 11 sheet pan will take about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Two small rectangular pans will take 20 to 30 minutes each.
Chocolate Topping
- As soon as you take the hot cake out of the oven.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips on the cake surface and cover with a foil for ten minutes to cool.
- The heat in the chocolate will melt the chocolate chips.
- After 10 minutes remove foil.
- Use a spatula to smear the melted chocolate.
- Decorate when completely cold.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Noel Lizotte
Veena, as always, you're recipes look amazing! This one is perfect for me ... I'll be trying it soon! I'm not a great baker and yet this is simple enough I can make it look good.
Meanwhile, you decorate it up and make it look fabulous!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Noel. I think you will love this one. It's so super simple and easy.
Patty @ Spoonabilities
Wow! How moist and yummy this looks! I need to make this cake tonight!
Veena Azmanov
THanks Patty. It sure it moist.
Jill
I used to make elaborate birthday cakes for my kids when they were younger - but I've grown out of that phase, LOL Now I'm all about sheet cakes and bundt cakes - especially chocolate. This looks like a great recipe.
Veena Azmanov
Aww I love making elaborate cakes, which is why I got into it professionally. That way I always have an opportunity to make these. But sheet cakes and bundt cakes are truly the homey cakes - love them very much too
Cindy @ The Sweet Nerd
This cake looks so unbelievably moist. I love that you included different options for the frosting. Whipped cream is a good choice!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Cindy, I love trying different frostings with my cakes - always makes it different every time.
julie
The perfect cake for a crowd! Especially chocolate lovers.
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Julie. Perfect for a crowd.
Jessica Formicola
Oh my goodness, this cake looks so incredibly moist and delicious!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Jessica. I hope you try it. It's sure moist.
Jummy
Hello Veena, thanks so much for sharing your recipes. I downloaded the 20 must have recipes for home bakers ,but it's not opening. How can you help out please.
Veena Azmanov
Jummy what do you mean not opening? Many download the recipe successfully. I will resend it to you to the email you used to comment with and I hope that helps. Let me know ok?
Al Jamil Mariam
I have tried this receipe twice first time it was excellent although second time it didn't work - I believe I have used dark brown sugar
Veena Azmanov
Yeah some time experiments dont' always come out great but it's still nice to try. Don't give up.. I'm sure it still tasted yum.
Mariam
Hi dear I have bought most of your calculated recipes they are great thanks alot. I have one question I have 4 orders this weekend all chocolate cake covered with fondant what do you recommend I should use
Veena Azmanov
If you have my Calculated Recipes then all those are good for tiered cakes!! I formulated the recipes so they are good even in tiered cakes.
Each recipes also tells you the best filling and frosting it pairs with. Look at the beginning of the recipe. Having said that my most popular chocolate cake with the customer are my VAOC Chocolate cake, Chocolate Fudge, and Chocolate Espressor. Make you sure take the clients personal preference - not all like the dense chocolate while some love it. <3
mariam
Thank you dear much appreciated I have to say your recipes are never failer always well trusted
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much !
Chandralekha Frederick
Good Love love love this recipe. Truly the best moist chocolate cake
Anonymous
Helo veena,my name is chioma 4rm Nigeria.wonderful blog u ave here,pls what can I subtitute in place of sour cream?
Veena Azmanov
Hi Nimmy, Nice Blog. Are you on my Facebook page? If yes, Check for the 'Tip Thursday' where I shared about the types of flour. I will repost it so you can see it on my page.
Thanks for all the lovely wishes.
Veena
Diana
Veena,
I'm not as great as you, but I just started my own Home bakery. If you would please log on and say you like it. I would feel so very grateful.
Your the best so a like from you would mean the World to me.
God Bless,
Diana Bevill
Nemos Cakes
Veena Azmanov
Would be my pleasure Diana. Send me the link. I see you have two blogs mentioned under your Google profile but non that is current. Send me a link and I'd be happy to visit your site. Thanks
Veeena
Diana
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nemos-Cakes/219548528098412?ref=ts
Thank you so much Veena. I honestly think your the best cake decorator in the world. You also are so wonderful to share your recipes. For a new shop baker like me, your a life saver. I go to your page EVERY day.
God Bless you and your Family.
Diana Bevill
Nemos Cakes