The best chocolate and peanut butter sheet cake just for you! This classic chocolate sheet cake recipe is super soft, with peanut butter and chocolate icing on top! It’s great for parties or if you feel just indulging!
What’s a sheet cake?
So what is a sheet cake? This cake is very similar to a traybake but made in larger portions. Originally from the US, a good sheet cake is ideal for large gatherings and typically serve up to 20+ people. The amount of cake obviously depends on how big the tray is.
There are many versions of sheet cakes, from simple vanilla to fruit-infused cake bases. These can be covered in whatever type of icing you want. From peanut butter to chocolate fudge! At first look, you might think it’s a brownie, but it’s so much more than that!
Chocolate sheet cake
Firstly you need to make the chocolate cake for your sheet cake. This is very easy to make, with amazing results! A moist, soft, and chocolatey dessert that only takes 25 minutes in the oven! It’s really a foolproof cake that everybody loves.
Delicious Chocolate And Peanut Butter Sheet Cake Recipe
This chocolate and peanut butter sheet cake are a little bit different from my old school traybake. This recipe makes about 20 slices. But first, let me show you how to mix the cake! This is an easy recipe, I just encourage you to read through the process before getting started.
Instead of creaming the butter with sugar like a normal cake recipe, this method requires you to mix all the dry ingredients first. Then follows the wet ingredients and finish it by mixing the eggs at the end.
Ingredients Of A Sheet Cake
Flour
I used plain flour but you can also use self-raising flour. Ensure that you sift your flour before using it to get a smoother cake mixture.
Sugar
Granulated sugar is used for this recipe, but caster sugar is also fine.
Baking Powder
If you are using plain flour then adding baking powder is better to help the cake rise as it bakes. Baking powder is not needed if you decide to use self-raising flour.
Salt
A little bit of salt enhances the flavour of the cake. Use fine salt instead of coarse.
Coffee
Coffee enhances the favour of the sheet cake. It deepens the rich and chocolatey flavour. However, if you’re not a fan of coffee you can substitute this by using water. You can use any type of coffee, but the stronger the coffee the better.
Butter
Unsalted butter is better for a sheet cake. However, you can use salted butter if you don’t have unsalted available. Just remember not to add salt into the mixture as the salt in the butter compensates for this.
Cocoa Powder
Use a good quality cocoa powder preferably with 100% cocoa. This will make your sheet cake super rich and tasty!
Buttermilk
Adding buttermilk to your sheet cake gives it a softer texture and more body. It also helps the cake rise. If you don’t have buttermilk available, you can substitute it by using whole fat milk and add a couple of teaspoons of lemon or white vinegar in it.
Eggs
This will make your cake moist, soft and also helps the cake rise.
Vanilla Essence
This will add a subtle flavour of vanilla, it also enhances the taste of the sheet cake.
Sheet Cake Icing Ingredients
Coarse peanut butter
Using coarse peanut butter adds texture to the cake. You can also substitute this by using butter for a more traditional sheet cake.
Milk
Use whole milk to get a richer icing. I advise using only half of the milk to start with adding a little bit more to control the consistency.
Cocoa powder
A 100% cocoa powder is better to use as this will add a very rich and chocolaty flavour to your cake icing.
Vanilla essence
The same with adding it to cake, vanilla flavouring helps to give the cake a nice subtle vanilla taste.
Icing sugar
Only use icing sugar to make the topping. This will give it a smooth texture to the frosting.
How To Make A Sheet Cake
- In a large pyrex bowl, sift all the dry ingredients using a wire mesh strainer. This will ensure that your cake is free from lumps and mixes the sugar and flour evenly. Set your bowl aside while you make the mixture of butter, cocoa powder and buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make an alternative by mixing milk with a little bit of white vinegar or lemon.
- In a small pan, add butter, cocoa powder and buttermilk. Set on low heat until the butter has melted, stir slowly and increase the heat. Taking care that the mixture doesn’t burn, keep stirring until it boils. Take off the heat and pour over the dry cake mix, stirring while you add the liquid and ensuring that the mixture turns into a smooth mix.
- Finally, add the eggs and vanilla essence. Keep mixing until it’s free from lumps. Pour the cake mixture into prepared tin and place in a 170°c oven for about 20-25 minutes.
Making The Peanut Butter Icing
- Place the peanut butter, ½ milk, cocoa butter and vanilla essence in a pan. Heat up on low, a setting of 2 or 3 is fine. Mix or whisk slowly until the mixture is smooth. If you find it drying up then add a bit more milk into the pan.
- Turn off the heat and slowly add the icing sugar. You want a smooth and thick consistency, good enough for pouring over the cake but not too runny so it’ll run over the side. Once the icing is fully added, whisk or stir until there are no lumps.
Tips & Tricks For Making A Good Sheet Cake
- Use a good quality cocoa powder to make a rich and chocolatey sheet cake.
- You can emit the peanut butter by just using butter instead.
- You can sprinkle the cake topping with anything you prefer such as chocolate sprinkles.
How To Store Your Cake
Your cake can be stored at room temperature but you can also put it in the fridge to make it last longer.
Chocolate And Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 250g flour
- 400g sugar
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup of coffee in hot water
- 225g butter
- 30g cocoa powder
- 100ml buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1tsp vanilla essence
Icing
- 200g coarse peanut butter
- 200ml milk
- 5tbsp cocoa powder
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 250g icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 170°c. Line a 13"x8" baking tray with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix well together and set aside.
- In a small milk pan, add butter, cocoa powder and buttermilk. Set on low heat until the butter has melted, stir slowly and increase the heat. Taking care that the mixture doesn't burn, keep stirring until it boils.
- Once it starts to boil, continue to whisk it for about 1 minute, then turn off the heat.
- Take your butter mixture to the bowl of flour and pour it in slowly while whisking or stirring the flour into the melted butter and chocolate. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla essence. Keep mixing until silky in texture.
- Pour it into the prepared tin, and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes
Make the icing:
- While the cake is baking. Add peanut butter, 100ml from the 200ml of milk, cocoa powder and vanilla essence in a small pan.
- Place the pan on very low heat (1-2 setting is fine). Mix or whisk slowly until it becomes smooth. If the mixture is drying up, add a bit more milk.
- Turn off the heat and slowly add the icing sugar. You are going for a thick pouring consistency. Keep on stirring until the sugar has been fully incorporated.
- Pour the icing onto the cake and serve warm or cold.
Do you love cakes? Check out my other recipes!
Sprinkle Tray Bake
Chocolate Tray Bake
Coconut & Jam Tray Bake
