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    Home > Blog > Cakes & Cupcakes > Chocolate Sheet Cake

    Chocolate Sheet Cake

    by Jenny Park · Published: Jun 9, 2022 · Modified: Sep 12, 2022

    Jump to Recipe
    The best Chocolate Sheet Cake with creamy peanut butter frosting, you'll ever have. Our recipe is so simple and results in a rich, chocolatey, perfectly moist cake. We can't resist a classic combo, so we topped our cake with a super creamy and fluffy peanut butter frosting! The perfect special occasion (or really any occasion, to be honest) sheet cake!
    Chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting on a board.
    Chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting on a board.
    Slices of chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting.
    A slice of chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting and a bite taken out.
    Chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting on a board.
    Chocolate sheet cake on a board.
    Chocolate sheet cake on a board with slices on the side.

    A grocery store chocolate sheet cake is the first cake I ever remember eating. I was in first grade and it was my birthday cake, finished with a decorative Little Mermaid theme on top. After my birthday party, we still had half the cake left and my sister and I ate our way through it for the next week. It was GLORIOUS. I’m pretty sure that’s what kicked off my love of chocolate sheet cakes!

    Our recipe today is so easy and there’s no need for a hand mixer or stand mixer, which is always my favorite kind of cake to make (or any baked good, for that matter). Our cake has a rich chocolatey flavor and a velvety texture. We topped our cake with an ultra creamy peanut butter frosting, but it also tastes amazing topped with a cream cheese frosting or even whipped chocolate ganache.

    Chocolate sheet cake on a board.

    How to Make Our Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

    Ingredients in a chocolate sheet cake recipe.

    Process

    1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
    2. In a large measuring cup or another mixing bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, coffee (or water), oil, and extract (or paste) and whisk together.
    Dry ingredients mixed in a bowl for chocolate sheet cake.
    Wet ingredients mixed in a bowl for chocolate sheet cake.

    1. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and whisk together until you have a smooth batter.
    2. Line a 9”x 13” baking pan with parchment paper, with a 2 inch overhang on each long side of the pan. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
    The batter to make cake in a glass bowl.
    Batter poured into a prepared pan to make a cake.
    1. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (or with just a couple crumbs) when inserted into the center of cake. Allow cake to cool completely (either in the pan or on a cooling rack).
    2. Turn cake over onto a large platter or cutting board. Peel away the parchment.
    Baked chocolate cake in a pan.
    Chocolate cake turned out onto a board.
    1. Evenly spread frosting over cooled cake. Finish chocolate sheet cake with a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. Slice and serve.
    Chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting on a board.

    Substitutions for Buttermilk

    I love using buttermilk for this recipe, but don’t always have it on hand. Whenever that’s the case I do one of two things:

    • Use buttermilk powder! Each brand is a little different, but for this recipe I generally use 3 tbsp + 1 tsp of buttermilk powder mixed with 1 2/3 cups water.
    • Combine 1 2/3 cups whole milk with 1 tbsp + 2 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir together. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes, stir once more and use.

    Tips and Tricks for Success

    • If you don’t have buttermilk use buttermilk powder and water or whole milk with some lemon juice (or vinegar), using the measurements from above.
    • If you don’t want to use coffee, hot water will work just fine.
    • Properly measure out your flour (so you’re not adding too much!). Scoop spoonfuls of flour into the measuring cup, then use a knife to level it out.
    Slices of chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting.

    Freezing Instructions

    Chocolate Sheet Cake

    To freeze: Place cake on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until completely frozen. Once cake is frozen, tightly wrap in several layers of plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    To thaw: Transfer wrapped cake to refrigerator and thaw overnight. Alternatively, unwrap frozen cake and transfer to a clean platter or cutting board. Leave cake at room temperature until completely thawed.

    Peanut Butter Frosting

    To freeze: Transfer frosting to an airtight (and freezer-proof) container and freeze for up to 3 months.

    To Thaw: Transfer container of frosting to the refrigerator and thaw completely overnight. Once frosting has thawed. Scoop frosting into a mixing bowl and whip with a hand mixer for about 1 minute.

    A slice of chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting and a bite taken out.

    More Delicious Chocolate Recipes You Will Love

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      Chocolate Covered Potato Chips
    • Smores fudgsicles with a bit taken out of one.
      S’mores Fudgsicles
    • Baked chocolate doughnuts with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
      Baked Chocolate Doughnuts
    • French silk pie with a slice out on a plate next to it.
      French Silk Pie

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    Chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting on a board.

    Chocolate Sheet Cake

    5 from 5 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    The best Chocolate Sheet Cake with creamy peanut butter frosting, you'll ever have. Our recipe is so simple and results in a rich, chocolatey, perfectly moist cake. We can't resist a classic combo, so we topped our cake with a super creamy and fluffy peanut butter frosting! The perfect special occasion (or really any occasion, to be honest) sheet cake!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 32 mins
    Total Time: 42 mins
    Servings: 16

      EQUIPMENT  

    • 1 9"x13" baking pan

      INGREDIENTS  

    chocolate cake

    • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 2/3 cups buttermilk
    • 1/2 cup hot coffee
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

    creamy peanut butter frosring

    • 1 recipe creamy peanut butter frosting

    garnish

    • 3 tablespoons dark chocolate shavings for garnish

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 9”x 13” baking pan with parchment paper, with a 2 inch overhang on each long side of the pan, and set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
    • In a large measuring cup or another mixing bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, coffee (or water), oil, and extract (or paste) and whisk together.
    • Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and whisk together until you have a smooth batter.
    • Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (or with just a couple crumbs) when inserted into the center of cake.
    • Allow cake to cool completely (either in the pan or on a cooling rack) before turning it over onto a large platter or cutting board.
    • Peel away the parchment and evenly spread frosting over cooled cake.
    • Finish cake with a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. Slice and serve.

      NOTES  

    **Makes 1 (9”x13”) sheet cake**
    **Nutritional information only reflects the chocolate sheet cake (without the frosting)**
    Substitutions for Buttermilk
    I love using buttermilk for this recipe, but don’t always have it on hand. Whenever that’s the case I do one of two things:
    • Use buttermilk powder! Each brand is a little different, but for this recipe I generally use 3 tbsp + 1 tsp of buttermilk powder mixed with 1 2/3 cups water.
    • Combine 1 2/3 cups whole milk with 1 tbsp + 2 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir together. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes, stir once more and use.
    Tips and Tricks for Success
    • If you don’t have buttermilk use buttermilk powder and water or whole milk with some lemon juice (or vinegar), using the measurements from above.
    • If you don’t want to use coffee, hot water will work just fine.
    • Properly measure out your flour (so you’re not adding too much!). Scoop spoonfuls of flour into the measuring cup, then use a knife to level it out.
    Calories: 260kcal Carbohydrates: 40g Protein: 4g Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 34mg Sodium: 208mg Potassium: 146mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 27g Vitamin A: 87IU Calcium: 58mg Iron: 2mg
    CUISINE: American
    KEYWORD: birthday cake recipe, chocolate dessert recipe, dessert recipe, peanut butter frosting
    COURSE: Dessert

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    June 9, 2022 / 8 Comments

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

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    June 9, 2022 / 8 Comments

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    1. Stephanie

      June 11, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      Hi – I just recently made this cake and it was amazing! I went to make it again and it appears that the recipe has changed. Members of our family don’t like coffee and it is now in the recipe. Also, I believe there was hot water involved. Unfortunately, I did not print out that particular recipe that also include the icing recipe on the same page. Would you be able to provide the old recipe? I’m sure this recipe is delicious but we really did love the previous version!

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        June 11, 2022 at 10:25 pm

        Hi! The recipe is the same except coffee has replaced the hot water (although you can still totally use water) and the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are mixed separately before they are mixed together. The frosting is also the same! We just dedicated a post to the frosting itself bc we love it so much!

        Reply
      • Ildi

        September 05, 2022 at 8:14 am

        IN EUROPE MANY PEOPLE LOVE CHOCOLATE RECIPES WITH COFFEE, I LOVE IT BUT I KNOW IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. YOU CAN ALWAYS SUBSTITUTE W/HOT WATER

        Reply
    2. Deb Roberson

      February 29, 2020 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      Made it, tastes great, icing recipe makes a lot!!!

      Reply
    3. Hydra

      October 15, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      I split this in half and made cupcakes out of it (it made just about 12 cupcakes). It didn’t rise as much as I would have hoped, but it was delicious and the frosting was amazing. The cake was a nice deep, dark chocolate flavor. It was a tad crumbly, so definitely needed cupcake liners. Per America’s Test Kitchen, I actually used the hot water to bloom the cocoa, then added it with the wet ingredients. Overall, I’ll definitely make again. Might tweak it for a bit more fat or something so it’s not so crumbly.

      Reply
    4. Renee

      October 12, 2019 at 9:09 am

      This cake is gorgeous. Chocolate and peanut butter is heaven.

      Reply
    5. Susan Kane

      October 01, 2019 at 9:19 am

      Per directions, water goes in with eggs, buttermilk , etc.

      Reply
    6. Pat

      September 27, 2019 at 2:03 pm

      I’m a little confused. In your ingredients you list a cup of hot water. In your directions you do not mention the hot water. When do you put in the hot water?

      Reply

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