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woman packing out chocolate sheet cake squares onto wooden board
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Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe for a Crowd

This chocolate sheet cake recipe is perfect for a large crowd or get together. It only bakes for 15-20 minutes and can be glazed right away.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Birthday Cake, Crowd, Dessert
Servings: 30
Cost: $15

Equipment

  • 13 x 18 inch sheet cake pan
  • large saucepan or pot everything will go into it to combine before it goes into the pan, so it should be quite large! I used a pot to be safe
  • measuring spoons and cups (or volume scale)
  • Measuring bowls
  • mixer

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup butter unsalted
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt if butter was unsalted
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs

Icing/Glaze

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter your 13x18 inch pan
  • In a very large sauce pan (or big pot) measure the butter, water, and cocoa powder
  • Add pan/pot to the stove, bring to a boil the butter and then remove from the heat
  • Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla
  • In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking soda
  • Add flour mixture to saucepan and stir to combine
  • Whisk the eggs and add in the sour cream
  • Add the eggs/sour cream mixture to pot on the stove, stirring until all is well combined (no lumps)
  • Pour the final batter into the prepared pan
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes

Icing

  • As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, start making the sauce
  • In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the butter, cocoa powder and milk. Once it boils, remove from the heat
  • Next, whisk in the powdered sugar
  • Work quickly to spread the glaze over your cake
  • Top with pecans and allow to set
  • Cut into squash and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage tips:
Fridge: This cake can last for several days in the fridge. Keep the cake covered with Glad Wrap or another sort of lid.
Freezer: This cake will also hold well in the freeze. Cut into squares or wrap the entire cake and keep in airtight container or Zip Lock bags.