Black Forest Sheet Cake
Any time I have guests over or need to bring a dessert somewhere, I bring a cake. And very often, this black forest sheet cake is the perfect choice: not too fancy, feels special, and no intense pressure of assembling layers. It’s not super sweet and the frosting is light and fluffy.
Black Forest Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 13 x 9 baking dish
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
For the sheet cake
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup chopped frozen black cherries
For the Whipped Cream Frosting
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For Garnish
- fresh or frozen black cherries
- shaved chocolate
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Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Then, lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk well and set aside. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs until thoroughly blended.
- Combine them and add water. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix them together gently using a rubber spatula until they are just combined. Slowly pour in the hot water while whisking continuously until the batter becomes smooth and even.
- Add cherries. Gently fold in the chopped black cherries until evenly distributed throughout the batter with a spatula.
- Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13 baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the dish on a wire rack.
Assemble.
- Make the frosting. In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to whip until stiff peaks form.
- Frost and garnish. Add the whipped cream to the top of the sheet cake and spread evenly. Garnish with shaved chocolate and black cherries. Enjoy!
- Serve. Cut into pieces and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
More Tips
For the best cake, make sure your eggs and milk are at room temperature before adding them to the mix. This makes the batter smoother and even, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake.
Sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder together may seem like an extra step, but it helps to prevent clumps and ensures that the ingredients mix uniformly, leading to a better texture for your cake.
If you’re using frozen cherries, chop them while they’re still partially frozen for easier handling. Dry them on paper towels before adding them to the batter to avoid excess moisture that could affect the cake’s texture.
About the Ingredients
All-purpose flour: Use an equal amount of cake flour for a lighter texture.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Replace with Dutch-processed cocoa for a smoother, milder chocolate taste.
Whole milk: Use almond milk or another non-dairy milk if desired.
Eggs: For a vegan option, use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg).
I hope you enjoy everything about this recipe, from the easy prep to the pretty chocolate shavings on top it’s one of our favorites.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.