This is the best chocolate sheet cake recipe ever. It's irresistibly moist, rich & chocolatey and so easy to make from scratch. Slathered with chocolate buttercream frosting, it's the perfect dessert to feed a chocolate-loving crowd.
Line a 9x13” cake pan with parchment paper, set aside
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and espresso powder. Set aside
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Add mini chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
Place cake pan on a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature (takes about 30 minutes).
Once cool, you can either lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a rectangular serving platter, or leave it in the pan and frost.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting with chocolate buttercream frosting (or your favorite frosting)!
Cut into pieces and serve. You can put the lid on the cake pan (or cover it in foil or plastic wrap) and chill it overnight if desired. I prefer to serve this cake slightly chilled or at room temperature.
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Notes
*Nutrition facts calculated for the cake only (they do not include the frosting). Ingredient Notes/Substitutions
All-purpose flour. Cake flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour.
Granulated sugar. I suggest white sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
Unsweetened cocoa powder. Choose your favorite variety. For an extra-dark cake use dark cocoa powder.
Espresso powder. I always have espresso powder on hand to make chocolate desserts. It’s worth purchasing if you love baking and it lasts a long time. You can substitute instant coffee if you must.
Salted butter. unsalted butter works well too.
Sour cream. Full-fat, plain Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream. I recommend using full-fat ingredients for the richest, most moist chocolate sheet cake.
Whole milk. I suggest using full-fat whole milk in this recipe. You can substitute half and half if desired.
Vanilla extract. You can switch up the extract and use almond, peppermint, orange, etc. if you prefer a flavored chocolate cake.
Mini chocolate chips. These are a must. Regular-sized chocolate chips sink to the bottom of the cake while baking. Be sure to use mini chips for the best results.
StoreStore leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigeartor for up to 5 days.FreezeOr, you can freeze this chocolate sheet cake in two ways:
Freeze individual pieces in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Freeze the cake (frosted or unfrosted) in the sheet pan with the lid for up to 1 month.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.