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Author:
Tracy Nawara
Everyone needs a perfect go-to sheet cake recipe. Your go-to sheet cake can be made for all birthdays, work parties, anniversaries, graduation parties, or any other event that requires a cake. Something homemade from the heart is always more heartfelt than catering from a bakery.
Your friends and family will love this moist and fluffy Easy Chocolate Espresso Devil’s Food Sheet Cake! The cake layer is a rich espresso-scented chocolate cake that is topped with a homemade whipped ganache. The ganache melts in your mouth and only enhances the cocoa craziness of this dessert.
While the chocolate-espresso cake layer requires a few ingredients, they are all worth it. For lightness and tartness, the batter uses buttermilk, which all good cakes have inside. Melted high-quality chocolate and cocoa powder are found in the cake and the ganache. With the ganache on top, this cake is so chocolatey and oh-so-decadent!
For your next large gathering, be sure to make this cake. Since it is a half-sheet cake, it does feed quite a lot of people. This dessert is so chocolatey, it is sure to please everyone at your next party. Plus, it is fun and easy to make!
For the Chocolate Ganache:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the sheet pan liberally so that the cake does not stick. Place a piece of parchment at the bottom of the pan and also grease that.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate heatproof bowl, combine the cocoa powder and espresso powder. Pour in the boiling water and whisk to combine very carefully. Allow it to cool slightly. Also, whisk in the brown sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
In a stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating completely between each addition.
Add the dry ingredients and the cooled chocolate/espresso mixture alternatively to the butter and sugar mixture. Begin with ⅓ of the flour, then ⅓ of the chocolate, then flour, then chocolate, until all ingredients are incorporated. Once everything is mixed, stop the machine. Do not overmix otherwise your cake could be tough.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap it lightly on the counter to pop any air bubbles.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for one hour while you make the ganache.
For the ganache, add the finely chopped chocolate to the bowl of your stand mixer. In a double boiler, combine the heavy cream and Karo syrup. Allow it to barely come to a boil. Remove it from the heat and add the mixture to the chopped chocolate, turning the machine to low. The heat from the cream will melt the chocolate perfectly.
Once the ingredients are combined, allow them to cool to room temperature, at least 45 minutes to 1 hour. After it has cooled, turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip the ganache for 3 minutes until it has a frosting-like texture.
Now, it’s time to frost the cooled cake. Invert the cake onto a platter very carefully. Remove the layer of parchment from the top. Frost the entire top layer of the sheet cake with the ganache in an even layer.
Serve in slices. Store leftovers in the fridge covered with plastic wrap.
