Reduced-Fat Chocolate Sheet Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 7, 2011
Time
2 hours, plus 1 hour cooling
Yield
Serves 20
Ingredients
Cake
3 ounces (85 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped2 tablespoons chocolate syrup 1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour ¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon table salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules 1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilkFrosting
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon instant coffee granules ¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder 3 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) confectioners' sugar ½ cup skim milkBefore You Begin
This frosting can be made up to five days in advance and refrigerated. When ready to use, allow the frosting to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes and then beat with handheld mixer for 30 seconds to fluff.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13 by 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray and line bottom with parchment paper. Microwave chocolate at 50 percent power until mostly melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and whisk in chocolate syrup until smooth. Set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in separate medium bowl.
- Place butter in large bowl and beat with handheld mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and continue to beat until well incorporated, 1 minute longer, stopping mixer as needed to scrape down bowl. Add melted chocolate mixture and beat until mixture looks thick and grainy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, vanilla, and instant coffee. Beat at medium-high until fluffy and pale brown, 2 minutes. With mixer on low, add one-third flour mixture, followed by half of buttermilk. Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, increase speed to medium, and beat until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out with few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Run knife around pan perimeter to loosen cake. Invert cake onto second rack, discard parchment, and reinvert onto lightly greased rack. Let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
- Microwave butter and chocolate in medium bowl at 50 percent power until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through microwaving. Stir in salt and coffee granules until dissolved, then transfer to medium bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Whisk cocoa and confectioners’ sugar together in medium bowl. Using handheld mixer at low speed, gradually add cocoa mixture to melted chocolate mixture (mixture will appear grainy). Gradually add milk, beating until milk is completely incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake. Cut cake into squares and serve.
for the cake
for the frosting
Time
2 hours, plus 1 hour coolingYield
Serves 20Ingredients
Cake
3 ounces (85 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk
Frosting
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon instant coffee granules
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) confectioners' sugar
½ cup skim milk
Ingredients
Cake
3 ounces (85 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk
Frosting
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon instant coffee granules
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) confectioners' sugar
½ cup skim milk
Ingredients
Cake
3 ounces (85 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk
Frosting
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon instant coffee granules
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) confectioners' sugar
½ cup skim milk
Why This Recipe Works
For a low-fat chocolate sheet cake recipe with great taste and texture, not to mention a creamy frosting, we skipped the low-fat ingredients and limited the butter to just a few tablespoons. Low-fat buttermilk added flavor and moisture that compensated for the missing butter, and cocoa powder took the place of fatty chocolate, while a little chocolate syrup boosted moisture.
Before You Begin
This frosting can be made up to five days in advance and refrigerated. When ready to use, allow the frosting to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes and then beat with handheld mixer for 30 seconds to fluff.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13 by 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray and line bottom with parchment paper. Microwave chocolate at 50 percent power until mostly melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and whisk in chocolate syrup until smooth. Set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in separate medium bowl.
- Place butter in large bowl and beat with handheld mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and continue to beat until well incorporated, 1 minute longer, stopping mixer as needed to scrape down bowl. Add melted chocolate mixture and beat until mixture looks thick and grainy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, vanilla, and instant coffee. Beat at medium-high until fluffy and pale brown, 2 minutes. With mixer on low, add one-third flour mixture, followed by half of buttermilk. Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, increase speed to medium, and beat until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out with few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Run knife around pan perimeter to loosen cake. Invert cake onto second rack, discard parchment, and reinvert onto lightly greased rack. Let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
- Microwave butter and chocolate in medium bowl at 50 percent power until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through microwaving. Stir in salt and coffee granules until dissolved, then transfer to medium bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Whisk cocoa and confectioners’ sugar together in medium bowl. Using handheld mixer at low speed, gradually add cocoa mixture to melted chocolate mixture (mixture will appear grainy). Gradually add milk, beating until milk is completely incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Spread frosting evenly over top of cake. Cut cake into squares and serve.
for the cake
for the frosting
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