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Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Sheet Cake
If you’re searching for the ultimate homemade chocolate cake, this Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake is guaranteed to become a family favorite. Rich cocoa, creamy butter, tangy buttermilk, and a splash of hot coffee come together to create an incredibly moist, tender cake with deep chocolate flavor in every bite.
The real magic happens when the warm cake is topped with a luscious homemade chocolate icing made with butter, cocoa, milk, vanilla, powdered sugar, and toasted pecans. Don’t skip toasting the pecans—it brings out their buttery, nutty flavor and adds the perfect crunch to this decadent dessert. The warm icing is poured directly over the warm cake, creating a silky, fudgy layer that melts into every corner.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, holiday, family gathering, potluck, or simply craving a slice of chocolate heaven, this classic Southern-style chocolate cake is always the right choice. Easy to make and impossible to resist, it’s one of those timeless recipes everyone asks for again and again.
My favorite part is the moment this warm, chocolatey icing is poured over the warm cake. The rich aroma is irresistible, and spreading it to cover the entire top of the cake is pure satisfaction.
Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 12-24 servings depending on slice size 1x
Description
This Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake is rich, moist, and topped with a silky homemade chocolate icing poured over the warm cake. Made with hot coffee, buttermilk, and toasted pecans, it’s the perfect dessert for birthdays, holidays, or anytime you’re craving an unforgettable chocolate cake. It’s the kind of homemade cake everyone requests again and again.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter
- 4 heaping Tbsps. cocoa powder
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plus 6 tbsps. butter
- 4 heaping Tbsps. cocoa powder
- 6 Tbsps. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa. Add hot coffee and boil for 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the cocoa mixture with the flour mixture.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add buttermilk and stir in the beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla.
- Whisk the buttermilk mixture and the chocolate mixture together.
- Spray a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Pour the mixture into the cake pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
- Make the icing while the cake bakes.
- Add butter to saucepan and melt.
- Add the cocoa, stir, and remove from heat.
- Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar, and stir.
- Fold in the toasted pecans.
- Pour over the warm cake. Spread evenly.
Equipment
Notes
- Be sure to toast the pecans. I chop the pecans, add a little butter and salt, and toast in a 300 degree oven about 4-6 minutes.
- You can use a sheet cake pan if you prefer. Cooking time may be a little less.
- You can skip the nuts if there is a guest with nut allergy or someone who does not care for nuts.
- Be sure to spread the icing right away on a warm cake.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American