Milk Chocolate Sheet Cake (+Whipped Chocolate Buttercream)

This Milk Chocolate Sheet Cake is perfect for any occasion. It mixes up and bakes fast, meaning you can get it decorated in time for a birthday or any kind of holiday (mix up the sprinkles!). This is a great recipe for bringing to family parties and is the go-to chocolate cake I use for everything!

If you are looking for more easy desserts (and why wouldn’t you?!), you’ll enjoy this Fudgy Chocolate Prune Cake or this Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake.

Hi everyone, I’m Kylee – I’m the writer, photographer, and cook at Kylee Cooks, bringing approachable, affordable, tried and true recipes to the table! I am such a huge fan of chocolate – and know you will love my Triple Chocolate Cookies or my Oreo Dirt Pudding Parfaits!

Dessert is one of my absolute weaknesses. I love a good chocolate cake, but it has to taste like chocolate – not just “be brown and be cake”. This particular recipe has a GREAT chocolate flavor that I then go ahead and top with REAL CHOCOLATE buttercream. Seriously, I melt chocolate and whip it into butter and powdered sugar for a creamy, dreamy, “taste-test a little when no one is looking” kind of result.

This recipe is super easy to mix up and fast to bake. You literally grab the dry ingredients and combine in a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients separately – then add wet to dry, add hot water – and you’re ready to bake!

You can make this before heading out to a party, or make it the day before you need it! It keeps really well if you store it correctly – in a container with a lid.

This recipe is a regular sheet cake, which is similar to a Texas Sheet Cake but made in a taller pan vs a jelly roll pan. 

HOW TO ENSURE A GOOD RESULT

• Use real butter – anything else just doesn’t taste as good!
• Don’t overmix. Let the batter be combined, but not super smooth.
• Bake only until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. 

INGREDIENTS IN SHEET CAKE

Nothing fancy – ingredients you probably already have!

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the dry ingredients (flour, white and brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt) to a large bowl, combine well. 
2. Whisk together the wet ingredients – the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
4. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer – mix the batter until well combined, but don’t overdo it! 
5. Add boiling water to the mix, and carefully blend together. The batter will seem SUPER runny, it’s okay, it’s meant to be.
6. Add to a greased 9×13 cake pan, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes (up to 35 minutes as ovens vary – a toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the center).
7. Remove from the oven, and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and cool completely.
8. You can keep it simple and just dust some powdered sugar over the top, use store-bought frosting, or make my delicious chocolate buttercream (below).
9. Sprinkles are always optional!

WHY DO WE BOIL WATER WHEN MAKING CHOCOLATE CAKE?

The hot water helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder (aka mixing it with hot liquid) – making it dissolve and break up lumps. It really helps to distribute the cocoa powder throughout the cake, making every bite full of chocolaty deliciousness! I heat the water in a saucepan over medium or use the microwave to boil it quickly.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Melt the chocolate (I do it in 30-second increments at 60% power in the microwave, stirring until smooth). Let it cool while you gather the other ingredients.
Add the powdered sugar, butter, coffee powder to a large bowl and gently combine, then add the milk, vanilla and melted chocolate. Whip until smooth, then frost your cooled cake.  

• You may wish to use more or less powdered sugar in the frosting, depending on the consistency you prefer. For more solid frosting, use about a 1/2 cup to 1 cup more. For silky, creamy frosting, use the amount in the recipe.
• The coffee powder intensifies the chocolate flavor, but if you don’t have it – leave it out!
  

CAN YOU FREEZE CHOCOLATE CAKE?

You absolutely can! Wrap the thoroughly cooled cake tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in a heavy-duty freezer-friendly zipper bag. To use, remove from the freezer and frost. It should be ready to eat in a few hours.

But what if I want to freeze a fully frosted cake or have leftovers? Can I still freeze it? Yes, you can and the frosting will also insulate the cake and keep it moister too. Just make sure to wrap it very well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to keep ice crystals from forming. 

If you have time you can freeze the cake first before wrapping it, this will ensure that the frosting is hard and won’t cling up to your plastic wrap making a mess. Then simply wrap as suggested above. 

Take the cake out of the freezer a few hours before eating to make sure it is completely defrosted. A cake like this will last up to a week in the refrigerator and at least a month in the freezer. 

Tara here, I have loved making sheet cake recipes over the years but haven’t shared many with you. I was so happy that Kylee came by today to share with you one of her favorite sheet cakes recipes. 

Milk Chocolate Sheet Cake

Tara Noland

This Milk Chocolate Sheet Cake is perfect for any occasion. It mixes up and bakes fast, meaning you can get it decorated in time for a birthday or any kind of holiday (mix up the sprinkles!). This is the great recipe for bringing to family parties, and is the go-to chocolate cake I use for everything!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18

Calories 459 kcal

Ingredients

 

CAKE

• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot water

FROSTING

• 7 oz milk chocolate
• 3.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter softened
• ½ tsp instant coffee powder
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the dry ingredients: flour white and brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt to a large bowl, combine well.
• Whisk together the wet ingredients – the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
• In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer – mix the batter until well combined, but don’t overdo it!
• Add boiling water to the mix, and carefully blend. 
• Add to a greased 9×13 cake pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes (a toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the center).
• Remove from the oven, and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and cool completely.
• Frost as desired.

FROSTING

• Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, in 30-second increments at 60% power, stirring until smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar, coffee powder, salt, and butter to a large bowl and gently combine.
• Add the milk, vanilla, and melted chocolate.
• Whip until smooth.
• Frost the cooled cake.

Equipment

Wilton Recipe Right Non-Stick 9 x 13-Inch Pan

KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red

OXO Good Grips 2.5 Qt Glass Bowl

Notes

You may wish to use more or less powdered sugar in the frosting, depending on the consistency you prefer. For more solid frosting, use about a cup more. For silky, creamy frosting, use the amount in the recipe.

The coffee powder intensifies the chocolate flavor, but if you don’t have it – leave it out!

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 459kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 4gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 469mgFiber: 1gSugar: 51g

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!