All-Purpose Chocolate Sheet Cake

Published January 1, 2001.

For an easy, foolproof, last-minute cake that packs in great chocolate flavor, just whisk together a few ingredients and bake.

The Problem

Sheet cakes, for all their simplicity, can still turn out dry, sticky, or flavorless and, on occasion, can even sink in the middle.

The Goal

Find a simple, dependable recipe, one that is moist yet also light and chocolaty.

The Solution

Simply whisk together the ingredients, with no beating, creaming, or whipping, and bake at a low temperature for a long time—40 minutes—to produce a perfectly baked cake with a lovely flat top. Though this cake can be frosted with almost anything, we like a classic American milk chocolate frosting that pairs well with the darker flavor of the cake.

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