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A close up photo of a slice of chocolate sheet cake on a small plate for serving.
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5 from 3 votes

Easy Chocolate Sheet Cake

A rich decadent chocolate sheet cake made with pantry staple ingredients!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Ashley C.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder (baking cocoa)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 cup sparkling water

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • Chocolate sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.
  • Add the melted butter, milk, eggs and water. Mix until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated into the dry ingredients.
  • Transfer the batter to the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar, cocoa and salt and mix on medium-low speed until well combined. Add vanilla and milk, mixing just until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  • Transfer the frosting to the cooled cake and spread in an even layer over the top. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles and serve.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover cake in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze, I recommend freezing the cake without the frosting. Let the cake cool before freezing in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw and frosting with fresh frosting before serving.
Substitutions: You can substitute gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour, if desired. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 789IU | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg