Chocolate Sheet Cake

5 from 6 votes

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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time32

Total Time42

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Teri & Jenny

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.

Nutrition