Chocolate Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This Chocolate Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a deeply fudgy, one-pan chocolate cake made with Dutch-process cocoa and hot coffee, topped with a silky chocolate cream cheese frosting that's rich, tangy, and just sweet enough. No layers, no fuss — just the best chocolate cake you'll bring to a party.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl or large measuring cup
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Fine mesh sifter
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula (for frosting)
Ingredients
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 75 grams dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 300 grams granulated sugar
- 100 grams light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 180 grams full-fat sour cream room temperature
- 120 milliliters neutral oil vegetable or canola
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 240 milliliters hot coffee or hot water
- 226 grams full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 115 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 60 grams dutch-process cocoa powder sifted (for frosting)
- 360 grams powdered sugar sifted (for frosting)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream for frosting
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract for frosting
- 1 pinch pinch of salt for frosting
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy lifting.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until fully combined and no lumps of cocoa remain.250 grams all-purpose flour, 75 grams dutch-process cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 0.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoons fine sea salt, 300 grams granulated sugar, 100 grams light brown sugar
- Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, neutral oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.2 large eggs, 180 grams full-fat sour cream, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 120 milliliters neutral oil
- Combine and add coffee: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stream in the hot coffee and whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy. It will be quite thin, and that is exactly what you want.240 milliliters hot coffee
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is set, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Do not overbake. This cake is better slightly underdone than overdone.
- Cool completely: Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting. Frosting a warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting.
- Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high until completely smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add the Dutch-process cocoa powder and mix on low until incorporated, then add the powdered sugar in additions on low. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Increase to medium-high and beat until the frosting is silky, fluffy, and deeply chocolatey. Taste and adjust with more cream for a looser frosting or more powdered sugar for a stiffer frosting.226 grams full-fat cream cheese, 115 grams unsalted butter, 60 grams dutch-process cocoa powder, 360 grams powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 pinch pinch of salt
- Frost and finish: Dollop the frosting over the cooled cake and spread it into an even layer. Go rustic and swoopy, or smooth it flat for a cleaner look. Finish with flaky salt, chocolate shavings, or sprinkles if the mood strikes. Slice and serve directly from the pan.
Notes
- Hot coffee is the secret weapon. It doesn't make the cake taste like coffee — it deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor dramatically. Use hot water if you prefer, but coffee is worth it.
- Dutch-process cocoa gives you a darker, more intense, less acidic chocolate flavor than natural cocoa. It's worth seeking out (Anthony's and Cacao Barry are both great). If you only have natural cocoa, swap the baking soda for 1.5 teaspoon and add 0.5 teaspoon more baking powder.
- Oil over butter in the cake base is intentional — oil-based chocolate cakes stay moist and fudgy for days, which matters for a sheet cake that'll sit out at a party. Sour cream keeps it tender.
- The batter will look very thin. This is correct. Don't add more flour.
- Cream cheese and butter must both be truly room temperature for a smooth frosting — cold cream cheese will leave lumps that won't beat out. Flaky salt on top is not optional (okay, it is, but it shouldn't be). The contrast against the chocolate cream cheese frosting is chef's kiss.
- Make-ahead: The cake can be baked and stored unfrosted (covered) at room temperature for 2 days. Frosting can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated — re-beat before spreading.
Nutrition
Calories: 368kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 288mgPotassium: 165mgFiber: 3gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 397IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
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