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A slice of moist chocolate cake
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Don't GIve A Sheet Chocolate Cake

If you don't have a sheet pan but want that chocolate sheet cake taste, this is the recipe for you
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Birthday Cake, Cake, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Icing, Dessert, Easy to make, Sheet Cake, Yummy
Servings: 20 people
Calories: 365kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Pan I used a 9X13 Ceramic Dish
  • 2 Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Small or Medium Sauce Pan

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup butter (unsalted)
  • 3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs

Chocolate Frosting

  • 5 tbsp whole milk
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Let's make that sheet!

  • Prepare your pan with PAM, Butter or Vegetable Oil (I used a 9X13 Ceramic Dish and PAM)
  • Boil the water, cocoa powder and butter in a saucepan.
    Boiling water, butter and cocoa powder
  • In one mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients - sugar, flour, salt and baking soda.
  • In the other mixing bowl, stir together sour cream, vanilla and eggs then combine. Once it has a smooth, creamy texture, combine this with the dry ingredients in the first bowl.
    Sour cream, eggs, vanilla mixed until smooth
  • At this point, ensure the ingredients in the sauce pan are well mixed boiling. Remove from heat. Then combine it with the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Begin mixing it right away while it is hot, because your arm is about to get a little workout and you want to take advantage of that heat. Once the batter is smooth and all chunks are gone, pour it into the prepared dish.
    All cake ingredients are combined in a bowl and looking smooth and yummy
  • Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Since ovens can vary, I recommend poking a fork through the center of the cake after 25 minutes. If it comes out clean, remove the cake and/or add another 5 minutes until you get a clean fork.
    Fork marks to ensure cake's doneness

Don't Give a Sheet Chocolate Icing:

  • While the cake is baking melt the butter in a sauce pan, then add the cocoa, sugar, vanilla and milk. I use a whisk to create smooth icing. While the cake is still hot, poke a few holes in the top with a fork and then drizzle the Icing onto the warm cake. (another option: add chopped pecans to the icing and or a little bit of coffee -- see "notes" section for info)
    At this point you've completed almost all of the steps, except, now you actually have to allow the cake to setup properly; So find that self control and let it sit for at least 30 minutes :)
    Drizzling chocolate Icing onto the cake

What's next?

  • Serve as-is or with vanilla ice cream.
    Enjoy, my friends, enjoy.
    Michael Admiring Cake

Notes

Nutritional Facts: it is okay to treat yourself every now and then... 
  • If you are looking for a richer flavor in the icing, add a touch of this morning's leftover coffee.  I would start with a teaspoon of coffee and work up from there, but keep in mind that you need to keep it balanced with the milk, so don't make the icing too thin.
  • It is VITAL to poke holes in the cake so the chocolate icing can fall into the holes.  While the cake itself is already moist, doing this takes it to next level moisture.  Trust me.