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Summer birthday parties as a kid were always a rush of color and excitement, of happy giggles, and a roar of excitement when the cake came out! Birthday Chocolate Sheet Cake will inspire that same joy in all its chocolatey goodness. Fluffy as a cloud, deep with flavor, and topped with sweet and luscious homemade whipped cream, Birthday Chocolate Sheet Cake makes any occasion a celebration, whether it's your birthday or not! Plus it makes enough for everyone because everyone deserves a slice of happiness like this.
Summer birthday parties as a kid were always a rush of color and excitement, of happy giggles, and a roar of excitement when the cake came out! Birthday Chocolate Sheet Cake will inspire that same joy in all its chocolatey goodness. Fluffy as a cloud, deep with flavor, and topped with sweet and luscious homemade whipped cream, Birthday Chocolate Sheet Cake makes any occasion a celebration, whether it's your birthday or not! Plus it makes enough for everyone because everyone deserves a slice of happiness like this.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, plus more, to taste, for greasing the pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more, to taste, for dusting the pan
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder not Dutch-process, plus more, to taste, for topping
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup heavy cream chilled
- granulated sugar to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with the extra butter, then lightly dust the greased pan with the extra flour, tapping out any excess flour.
- Heat the chocolate, the coffee, and 2/3 cup of the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Let the mixture cool.
- Whisk the eggs, the buttermilk, and the vanilla into the chocolate mixture.
- Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the salt, the baking powder, the baking soda, and 2 cups of the remaining flour in a large bowl until just combined.
- Add the brown sugar, the oil, 1/2 cup of the remaining butter, and 1/2 cup of the chocolate mixture into the bowl of the electric mixer.
- Beat on medium speed until the flour is evenly distributed and the mixture is smooth, for about 5 minutes.
- In two batches, add the remaining chocolate mixture, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed and beating until smooth after each addition.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake the cake until the top is firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes.
- Transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Just before serving, whisk the cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Add the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired sweetness is achieved. Beat the cream mixture again to medium peaks.
- Top the cake with the whipped cream.
- Dust with the extra cocoa powder.
- Serve.
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