This is the most amazing vegan chocolate sheet cake! Fluffy, moist chocolate cake is baked in a half sheet pan and topped with an amazing buttery sweet icing. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.
I took inspiration for this vegan sheet cake from my beloved chocolate cake recipe. The cake itself is very similar, but it’s baked in a half sheet pan instead. It’s a simple recipe, made in 1 bowl, and unlike layer cakes that need ample time to cool and frost, sheet cake takes less time to cook and is ready to eat quicker.
But perhaps the best part is the simple cooked frosting that is poured over the cake while still warm. As the cake cools (and this doesn’t take long), the frosting hardens a bit and is completely irresistible.
Sometimes Texas style sheet cakes are sprinkled with chopped nuts, so this is an option as well. My kids don’t care for nuts in their desserts, so I left them out.
What size pan do I need?
Sheet cakes are typically baked in a half sheet pan, which is a large rimmed baking sheet about 11 x 17 inches long, sometimes 12 x 18 inches or even 13 x 18 inches. Mine is 11 x 17 inches.
You could make the cake in a 9 by 13 inch cake pan if you really need to for a thicker cake and frosting. It will need to bake for 35-45 minutes though. And it won’t exactly be sheet cake.
Looking for more chocolate desserts?
Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Frosting
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Optional
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 11 x 17 inch sheet pan.
- Measure 1 cup soy milk and add the tablespoon of vinegar to it. Stir slightly and set aside to curdle.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- To the bowl with the dry ingredients, pour in the milk/vinegar mixture, oil, applesauce and vanilla. With a hand mixer (you can skip the mixer and use a large spoon if you need to), mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Carefully add the cup of boiling hot water, and mix on low speed until combined. The batter will seem runny, but that is right. It is what makes this cake extra moist and delicious.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared sheet pan, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and make the frosting.
- When the cake is done baking, make the frosting: In a medium pot, add the vegan butter, cocoa, soy milk and vanilla. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, gradually, until the frosting is smooth.
- Pour the warm frosting over the still warm cake, spreading evenly with a spatula or spoon. Sprinkle with optional nuts, if using.
- Let the cake and frosting cool for at least 30 minutes if possible before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten Free: This works pretty well with a gluten free flour mix, such as Bob's 1:1 Baking Flour, but do not try to sub almond flour, it will not work.
- While I love the cooked smooth frosting for sheet cake, you can also use the chocolate frosting from my vegan chocolate cake recipe if you'd like.
- This sheet cake is best made in an 11 by 17 inch sheet pan(or 12 x 18) but it can be made in a 9 by 13 inch cake pan if needed for a thicker cake. It will need 35-45 minutes to bake though.
I’ve made a dozen at least of your regular chocolate cakes. It’s a staple in the family. But tonight I needed a quick solution and made this sheet cake. It was amazing! So simple and so delicious. A new found treat. Thank you!!!!
Hi David! Thank you for the recipe love and support! I’m thrilled that you tried the sheet cake and that you have a new favorite! Thank you for taking time to share your fantastic review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Mine turned out spongy. Did I over mix?
It’s hard to say without being there, but that is possible, yes. Did you make any substitutions at all?
Hi Nora,
I’ve made this and love it. I love at 4300 ft. altitude and it came out perfect. My question is do I need to make any changes to bake it at 8000 ft altitude?
Hi Judy. I’m so glad that you are loving that sheet cake recipe! I am not an expert on high altitude baking, so I don’t know exactly what to recommend. I know there is some general advice out there on what to adjust when baking a cake at high altitude. I’ve never tried it myself though. Sorry! I hope you can find some helpful information. Happy baking!
My mom used to make this cake when I was a kid, and this vegan version tastes exactly how I remember my mom’s version! I have made it a few times and it is so moist and delicious. I want to bring it to work from my coworker’s birthday, but I think a sheet pan would be hard to transport. Have you (or any readers) made it in a ~13×9 inch casserole pan, meaning it would be thicker and have less surface area for frosting? I have a pan that size with a lid that would be so much easier to carry. Thanks for any insight!
Hi Kim. Isn’t it fun to find a recipe reminiscent of a childhood recipe that we loved!? I’m so glad that you love the sheet cake recipe! for a 9×13, I would recommend that you half the recipe and bake the cake for 25-35 minutes. Thank you for taking time to share your glowing review! Happy baking!
I’ve actually never used a sheet pan for this recipe, but I’ll split the mixture into half and use two cake pans (usually the disposable ones).
I thought nothing could be better than Nora’s double layer chocolate cake, but I just gave the sheet cake a go… every bit as delicious and easier as I was clipped for time today. Just phenomenal. You make my family so happy!
Hi Deb. Your feedback makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing your glowing review and wonderful comments! I’m thrilled that you loved the sheet cake! Wishing you happy cooking!
This was insanely delicious, despite being suspiciously easy to make… I subbed the hot water with hot coffee for an adult group: No one thought it was vegan, a few asked what professional baker I used, and more asked for the recipe. I saved this one in my gDrive recipe as file name “BEST EVER CAKE USE THIS ONE.pdf”
Hi Liz. How fun that the sheet cake was a hit! Thank you for taking time to share your stellar review and comments! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Does the coffee make it taste like coffee Or just intensify The chocolate and give it more depth???
Thank you so much 😊
You are welcome! Happy baking!
Hi, it’s me again and I have been thinking about solutions for my cake, and was wondering if I used a 13 by 18 sheet pan, Could I cut it in half and stack them? Would it require more baking time? Thank you!😊
Hi again! Do you mean doubling it and using a 13×18 inch pan? Yes, that would require more baking time, perhaps 40-50 minutes? Check with a toothpick in the center; when it comes out clean, it’s done. I think that could work. Best of luck!!
Hi, I am making this for my little brothers birthday, and was wondering if I can use parchment paper on the bottom, double the recipe, take them out of the pan, and stack them?😊
It probably would work, though I have only made this recipe as a sheet cake. It will be rather fragile, and a very large cake! I’m not sure it can be layered without breaking. If you make it as a layer cake, let me now how it turns out! Happy baking!
I made this cake for a birthday party and it was a HIT!! I am the go to in my group for making vega cakes. So when I was asked to make a chocolate vegan sheet cake, I finally got the opportunity to try your recipe. It was awesome! So many compliments, and not a piece left!! This one is going in my ‘toolbox’.
Awesome that the cake was a hit! Thank you for sharing your glowing review! Wishing you happy baking!
Can this cake be refrigerated or will it harden too much? I can refrigerate your regular chocolate cake recipe without issue but since this is thinner I wasn’t sure 🙂
Hi Emily. You can store it in the refrigerator, and it will be fine. It lasts lightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. Enjoy!
Thank you Nora, another wonderful recipe that tastes just as good if not better than the Texas Sheet cake I remember.
You bet, Joanne! I am thrilled you are loving the cake! Thanks for your stellar review and feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
Super moist and delicious! Loved this! I will definitely use this for a party next time!
I’m planning on baking this on a Friday night for a Sunday night party. Do you think this will stay moist until then? I was thinking about adding a simple syrup after baking it to add moisture but don’t wanna mess it up. Thank you!
Hi Rachel. This cake is very moist, and will keep that way lightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. I think that adding syrup would make it too wet. I hope you enjoy! Happy baking!
Does this cake cute into rounds easily? I am looking to make a small 3-layer chocolate cake out of a large sheet cake. I have made many vegan cakes in the past but I found they do not cut well and crumble.
I think it should cut into rounds fairly easily. I would still be careful when cutting and lifting it out though.