Chocolate Sheet Cake

I've been reading (and greatly enjoying) a foodie book called Consuming Passions by Michael Lee West. Some very funny stories in there, most drawn from her Southern USA upbringing. In one section she talks about "Chocolate Sheet Cake", and the concept fascinated me - I loved the idea of being able to bake a slab of chocolate cake, and then ice it then and there, before it cooled completely, right in the pan. Apart from being terribly efficient (no more icing dripping all over the bench, nor waiting for ages for the cake to be cool enough), I've found that you get a very moist cake as a bonus.

After some experimenting with recipes, the family favourite has become a Mrs Fields' recipe for devil's food cake, baked in a roasting tray, and then topped off with my ever reliable chocolate icing recipe (dark chocolate, icing sugar, butter and milk). But I think this idea would work with any good chocolate cake recipe ! And it's quick - made this one this morning - out of the oven by 8.30am, iced by 9am, cut into by 10.30 ! Does anyone else bake sheet cakes ?

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I could eat that, Celia. Yum!

When I was growing up both my parents were professors and there wasn't a lot of time for fancy dessert creation. This kind of prep was the norm in our house. In fact, I bet I can count on one hand the number of times that we had a layer cake.

I actually make a chocolate sheet cake occasionally for family gatherings, although not so frequently these days. It is a fantastic way to do a dessert for a crowd, and as you found out, the cake is usually very moist.

I grew up on them. Because I was a preacher's kid (explains a lot, huh?) these things turned up at every church function. Sheet cakes are woven into the fabric of my soul. My Mom makes a kick-ass coconut sheet cake, too.

rwj

I adore Lee West's description of them :

In my family, whenever a chocolate sheet cake appeared, it was usually to soothe a broken heart, or to soften the impact of an impulsive thrift-shop purchase. It was not a cake of holidays, but a cake that cajoled and flirted, a cake that said, "Forget about your problems, sweetie. Come sit by me for a while."

That pretty much says it, Celia.

rwj