Denver Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 16tablespoons unsalted butter in 16 pieces (plus 1 tablespoon softened butter for greasing pan)
- 2½cups all-purpose flour (more for pan)
- 2cups sugar
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- ¼teaspoon salt
- ¼cup cocoa
- ½cup buttermilk
- 2eggs, lightly beaten
- 1teaspoon vanilla
- 8tablespoons unsalted butter in 8 pieces
- ¼cup cocoa
- 6tablespoons buttermilk
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼teaspoon salt
- 1pound confectioners' sugar
- ½cup chopped walnuts or pecans
For the Cake
For the Frosting
Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)
543 calories; 24 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 81 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 61 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 209 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
For cake: Place oven rack in middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch sheet pan. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, and whisk well.
- Step 2
Combine butter, cocoa and 1½ cups water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk frequently until butter has melted and mixture is smooth, glossy and bubbling around edges. Remove from heat.
- Step 3
Fold cocoa mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until combined. Turn batter into prepared pan and bake until cake has risen, shrunken slightly from edges, and tests clean with a toothpick, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool completely on a rack.
- Step 4
For frosting: Combine butter, cocoa and buttermilk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk frequently until butter has melted and mixture is smooth and bubbling around edges. Remove from heat and transfer to a standing mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Step 5
With machine on low speed, add vanilla, salt, sugar and nuts, and mix until smooth. (Ingredients may also be whisked into cocoa mixture by hand; if so, sugar should be sifted first.) Pour warm frosting over top of cake, and smooth with a spatula. Allow frosting to become firm before slicing cake.
Private Notes
Comments
We grew up calling this Nebraska cake. Double (or triple) the cocoa in both the cake and frosting for a better result.
If you want a lower fat version, you can use 8 tablespoons of butter in the cake. Yes, you can definitely tell, but your waistline may thank you.
For an incredibly delicious variant, make raspberry sauce (frozen raspberries, sugar and cornstarch). Once the cake has cooled, frost with the raspberry sauce, then once the sauce is set, frost with the chocolate frosting.
I double the cocoa in both the cake and frosting and used 3/4 c. buttermilk in the cake. It was super flavorful and moist! Growing up, we called this cake Texas Sheet Cake and included a touch of cinnamon in the frosting, but here I kept it straight chocolate.
Great recipe. Combining some suggestions from comments here, I tripled the amount of cocoa in the cake and doubled it for the frosting (and yes, felt rather decadent as I did). I also used 3/4 cup buttermilk in the cake. The finished product was delicious - moist, chocolate-y, and a hit at the party at which it was served. Much obliged.
This gets five stars for tasty and simple. Whisking, dry ingredients together, melting, butter, and cocoa and water, and then whisking together the buttermilk eggs and vanilla couldn’t be easier. I made it after making a roast chicken dinner and it was no stress at all. I made sure to butter and flour a glass 9 x 13. I decided no frosting tonight and just put a shake of confectioners sugar. So satisfying this is a definite keeper and easy to do.
2nd year I've made this cake for my partner's birthday. This is the perfect "made by your midwest grandma, milk chocolatey, fudgey, chocolate cake is my favorite" cake recipe I've ever found! I will continue to make this year after year.
Wonderfully moist, even several days later. Here are my tweaks: - Swapped vegan margarine and coconut oil for half of the butter - Used kefir instead of buttermilk - Doubled the cocoa powder - Mixed in about 1/4 cup high quality chocolate baking pieces - Used a natural vegan frosting from a can This is the best cake I've made, and it came together quickly. This will be my go-to sheet cake from now on