Easy peanut butter chocolate sheet cake
This one-bowl, easy peanut butter chocolate sheet cake is just dreamy and would you just look at those swirls of fudgy frosting? I mean.
I have come to the conclusion that the most intense craving, is a craving for chocolate cake. I thought it was only me who needed chocolate cake Right now when the craving struck but it seems most of my friends are exactly the same way. And who has the time or energy to spend hours baking a cake when the craving has struck? No-one, that’s who!
This easy, one-bowl peanut butter chocolate sheet cake is a variation of my absolute favorite Chocolate peanut butter cake recipe. I’ve made that recipe so many times, I can almost do it in my sleep by now. And even though it’s not much more complicated than this recipe, it requires a few more steps. I’ve cut out those steps here and can honestly say this sheet cake is pretty much identical to my classic recipe. The chocolate flavor is intense with a hint of that delicious peanut butter nuttiness.
I love baking it in a sheet pan because it makes serving so much easier making it perfect for a birthday party. I also find the ratio of cake to fudgy chocolate frosting is more in balance. Even the frosting-haters in my family loved this frosting. It’s almost like chocolate mousse in texture and is the most chocolatey-chocolate frosting I have ever tasted. Everything you want when the craving strikes.
How to make chocolate sheet cake
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350 degrees F) and line a rectangular cake pan or baking dish with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder together. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, peanut butter and hot coffee. The hot coffee adds moisture to the cake but coffee also has a great ability to make chocolate taste even more like chocolate. If you don’t want to use coffee, boiling hot water can also be used. Mix the cake batter until just combined then pour into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and allow to bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, whip softened butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add sifted powdered sugar/icing sugar and cocoa powder. Pour in cooled coffee and milk and whip until smooth. Slowly pour in cooled, melted chocolate and mix until smooth and glossy. Add a pinch of salt (optional). Top the sheet cake with swirls of fudgy frosting and decorate with sprinkles.
How to make moist chocolate cake
Fat and liquid adds moisture to cake recipes. In this recipe, the combination of oil (you can also use melted butter), buttermilk, hot coffee and peanut butter ensures the finished cake is moist and fudgy.
What frosting goes best with chocolate cake?
A fudgy, chocolate frosting is the perfect topping for chocolate cake. Classic buttercream made with softened butter and powdered sugar (icing sugar), cocoa powder and a splash of milk is always delicious. To add more flavor, use cooled coffee which makes the chocolate flavor even stronger and add a pinch of salt.
Can chocolate cake be frozen?
Yes, chocolate cake freezes very well. To freeze: wrap baked and cooled (but not frosted) cake well with parchment paper followed by a foil or plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw completely before using.
Chocolate cake recipes:
- Flourless chocolate cake
- Easy one bowl chocolate cupcakes
- Double chocolate coffee cake
- Chocolate peanut butter cake
Ingredients
for the cake
- 2 cups cake/all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup hot black coffee
for the chocolate peanut butter frosting
- ½ cup soft butter
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 5 cups powdered sugar / icing sugar sifted
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- 2 tablespoons cooled coffee
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup melted dark chocolate cooled
- sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºc and line a rectangular sheet pan/cake pan with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes until well combined, scraping down halfway to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and place in the oven.
- Allow to bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat together the butter and peanut butter.
- Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, coffee and milk and beat until thick and smooth.
- While mixing, slowly pour in the chocolate and allow to mix into the frosting. Mix for a further 1-2 minutes until the frosting is whipped and well combined.
- Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles.
Video
Nutrition
Alida your are the sheet cake queen! Pls just drop me a tip on how you flip your sheet cakes out the pan. Do you leave to cool completely? I flipped mine out and it layed on its dome side and it started to crack. I quicky flipped it over with two boards. Any tips?
I allow it to cool completely and then tip out and immediately tip it over onto a board. You can always cut away the dome if it’s excessive to make things easier.
Have made this for kids birthdays and friends 30th (who loves peanut butter) and it is a winner every time. Incredibly moist cake and easy to get done in record time.
I have also substituted buttermilk for 1/2 milk 1/2 yogurt mixture and the result was equally satisfying.
So happy to hear that. Thanks Jessica!
Hey Alida, I made this cake for my house party last month and it was a super-duper awesome. As everyone asked for the recipe. I gave them your blog name. Seriously it’s a super awesome Homemade chocolate cake, I have ever had… Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing recipe with all of us. Regards.
So happy you liked it. 🙂
This was the best chocolate sheet cake recipe I’ve ever tried. And the frosting was so fudgy and delicious! Perfect.
What a lovely compliment, thanks so much Laura!
I made this cake last weekend for my nephew’s birthday and it was a hit with everyone at the party. Everyone asked for the recipe. Great chocolate cake recipe!
That’s great to hear! 🙂
Would almond milk work in place of buttermilk? Looks so yummy ?
I don’t see there being any issues with using almond milk but buttermilk definitely keeps the cake a lot more moist.
Hi….I want to try this recipe but would like to leave out the coffee. What can I use instead of coffee?
Hot water or milk.
The frosting on this cake was so delicious! My husband called it “grandma’s favorite grandchild frosting”! So hats off to that. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. We look forward to many more. Happy baking!
Oh yay! I am so pleased to hear that Serena.
This is such a dreamy cake, perfect to serve a crowd! 🙂
Thanks Laura!
What size is the sheet pan? In looking at the video it looks like it might be a 9 inch by 13 inch pan.
Thanks in advance.
Yep, 9x13inch exactly.
OMG Alida! Prettiest cake ever! That frosting looks amazing! Need to make this for my son Casey when he comes home from college!
Ah, thanks Mary Ann! I had such fun with it. Casey is going to LOVE it!
Hi Alida, love this peanut butter and chocolate cake recipe but wonder about the 180-degree temperature you recommend. Is that Celcius? Seems like the temp should be 300 or 350-degrees in Farenheit (USA). Please let me know!
Thanks.
It’s Celsius indeed. So around 350 fahrenheit.