I am always chasing a high whenever I am making chocolate desserts. This is why I make them easy but with extra something, something; similar to this chocolate sheet cake with spiced caramel. And from one chocoholic to another, I can promise you that you are at the right place! Now, imagine a thin, light, dark and chocolatey sheet cake layered with the best-spiced caramel sauce. Every bite melts in your mouth with a chocolatey mouthfeel, buttery, sweet caramel and spice, all at once.
The chocolate sheet cake preps within 10 minutes and takes 25-30 minutes to fully bake. The cake batter is super thin which gives it a super light texture. Alkalized cocoa powder, instant coffee and a good quality vanilla extract will enhance the dark chocolate appearance and flavour of the chocolate cake. Chocolate chips are optional but strongly advised if you like a more fudgy feel.
The spiced caramel sauce cooks just like standard caramel but with added spices. Preparation time is up to 20 minutes which you can do while the chocolate cake is baking. When hot, the caramel will be darker in colour and thinner in consistency. When it cools it turns a caramel brown colour, the flavours are more pronounced, and it thickens enough to spread on the chocolate sheet cake. Powdered spice is advised since it mixes easily with the caramel.
RECIPE RUN THROUGH
Start with the sheet cake
- Preheat oven to 180C and line the baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix eggs, oil, milk, vanilla extract, granulated sugar and milk until combined.
- Add all-purpose flour, alkalized cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, baking soda and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Add hot coffee to the cake mixture, then stir in chocolate chips.
- Layer a 7×11 sheet pan with parchment paper and pour in the chocolate cake batter.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 25 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted comes out clean.
Make the spiced Caramel
- Add castor sugar into a pan.
- Place pan over medium-low heat, and stir occasionally until the sugar melts and turns golden brown.
- Pour in hot heavy cream and stir thoroughly ( be careful the mixture may spit). Let it simmer for up to 1 minute on low then remove from heat.
- Immediately, add unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, powdered cinnamon and ginger into the hot caramel. Mix completely and set aside to cool completely.
Chocolate sheet cake with spiced Caramel tips and tricks
- The more the caramel sits the more the flavours will be enhanced. You can optionally make it the night before or serve the cake a day after making it.
- Chocolate chips, instant coffee and vanilla extract aim to enhance the chocolate flavour while the alkalized cocoa powder simultaneously darkens the chocolate cake while also enhancing the chocolate fudge flavour.
- The amount of sugar in the chocolate cake is reduced to balance the flavours of both chocolate and caramel.
- Don’t like spice in dessert? skip adding the spices to the caramel or replace with half teaspoon salt and serve the cake as a chocolate sheet cake with caramel or; with salted caramel.
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CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE WITH SPICED CARAMEL
Course: RecipesDifficulty: Medium6
servings10
minutes10
minutes25
minutesIngredients
- Chocolate Sheet Cake
180 gm all-purpose flour
40 gm alkalized cocoa powder
120 ml oil
160 gm granulated sugar
2 eggs
140 ml milk
10 gms coffee powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
100 ml hot coffee
100 gms chocolate chips ( optional)
- spiced Caramel
250 gm castor sugar
200 ml heavy whipping cream
70 gm butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
Directions
- Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 180. Line 7×11 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla extract and milk until combined.
- Add flour, alkalized cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, baking soda and baking powder and mix until combined.
- Gradually pour hot coffee into the prepared cake batter and mix then add chocolate chips and stir to evenly distribute throughout the cake batter. Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Spiced Caramel
- Put castor sugar into a small saucepan and place it over low heat.
Let the sugar gradually melt and turn golden brown, Stir sugar or swirl the pan occasionally until evenly melted and browned( about 5 minutes). - Afterwards, gradually add hot heavy cream and stir thoroughly. (The caramel might curdle and spit so be careful). Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes on low heat then remove from heat.
- Immediately, add room-temperature butter, pinch of salt, ginger and cinnamon and mix thoroughly until combined. Set it aside to cool completely.
- Spread on cooled chocolate sheet cake when it has completely cooled.
Notes
- The cake is baked in a 7×11-sized baking sheet pan. You can also bake in a 9-inch round cake pan, or 8-inch cake pan, and the batter is enough for a dozen-tray cupcake pan.
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