I love recipes which are simple, homely and comforting – dishes which are easy to make, large enough to share with the neighbours and so delicious that my boys request them over and over again. A couple of years ago, I was reading Consuming Passions by Michael Lee West – a collection of stories and recipes, drawn mostly from her Southern US upbringing. In one section she mentioned a “Chocolate Sheet Cake” and the concept fascinated me – I loved the idea of being able to bake a big tray of chocolate cake and ice it before it had cooled, right in the pan. But it was West’s description of the cake that was particularly evocative:
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.’
Since then, the chocolate sheet cake, or Choccy Slab Cake as it’s known at our place, has become a household staple. After some experimenting, we’ve finally come up with a combination that keeps everyone happy – a Mrs Field’s devil’s food cake recipe, baked in a roasting pan, and topped off with an ever reliable Jamie Oliver icing. The whole ends up greater than the sum of its parts, because the icing over the warm base creates a very moist and velvety cake, which keeps well for the few days it takes to be eaten.
I made this cake for Alex’s 21st – it’s a great recipe for feeding lots of intoxicated and hungry twenty year olds.
Note: click here for a printable copy of this recipe.
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Cake
- 13/4 cups (440ml) boiling water
- 170g (6oz) dark chocolate, chopped finely (we use Callebaut callets)
- 1 cup (110g) unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups (300g) plain (all purpose) flour
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), sifted
- good pinch salt
- 285g (10oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 13/4 cups (packed) (380g) brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 175C (350F) with fan. Line the base and sides of a large roasting pan with parchment paper (Bake). I do this by squishing an extra-large sheet of Bake into the pan and pleating the corners, or snipping with scissors and overlapping them. My tray is 37 x 27 x 5cm (141/2” x 101/2” x 2″), but the recipe is quite flexible, so use whatever you have on hand and adjust your cooking time accordingly.
2. In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the dark chocolate and let it sit for five minutes. Add the cocoa and stir until the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the cake.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Don’t whinge about all the bowls you’re using, it’s worth it.
4. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, then add all the flour mixture and half the chocolate mixture. Beat on low speed to combine, then on high for 1½ minutes. Add remaining chocolate mixture and beat on low to combine.
5. Pour the batter into the roasting pan and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until a thin sharp knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Be careful not to overcook it. Remove the cake from the oven, but leave it in the pan. Allow to cool a little while you prepare the icing.
Icing
- 100g (33/4oz) dark chocolate callets, or finely chopped chocolate
- 100g (33/4oz) unsalted butter
- 100g (33/4oz) icing sugar, sifted (it’s important to sift, or you’ll get lumpy icing)
- 3 Tbsp (60ml) milk
Melt all ingredients in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring constantly until well blended. Pour the finished icing over the warm cake, jiggling the pan around so that it’s all evenly coated. Let it sit for say another 15 minutes or so, then put the whole thing into the fridge to set.
The cake can be kept at room temperature once the icing is set.
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More food for the masses: Party Pizza!
That looks absolutely delicious! I’ll have to come over and try it sometime.
Nothing will beat that big gooey chocolate cake you made that night when we came round for dinner!
Sometimes I think I should have had 10 children so I could bake that cake every day and it would be devoured!
You’d be surprised how quickly it can disappear! I once sent out a skype at 9pm at night and two neighbours arrived within minutes, both carrying empty plates to take cake home on.. :)
[…] with any icing you wish. I used Jamie Oliver’s recipe (below) recommended by Fig Jam and Lime Cordial (thank you!); worked well but I think to make this […]
I know this entry was from last year, but I’ve only recently ‘tripped’ over your site and I was looking for a new choc cake recipe – found this one and thought it would be perfect for my family. Big enough and easy to make. I made it two days ago and it was perfect and even it’s nicer two days later (although nearly all gone!). Thanks so much for such a great recipe. This is a keeper for us and this weekend I’m off to try some of your other recipes…….
Cheers
Meaghan
So glad you liked it, Meaghan! It’s not the fanciest looking cake, but I think it’s one of the most delicious. When we make it, the whole neighbourhood comes over with plastic plates for a portion, it’s that sort of cake, and there’s always plenty to share around.. :)
Just made this yesterday – very little left! It’s scrumptious! Mine ended up really light and fluffy – yours looks mud cake-like, Celia. Maybe my baking pan was too big??
Hi Trace, you’re right, it’s light-textured, the photos just came out dense-looking. It’s hard to take a good photo of anything dark brown.. :) Not quite fluffy, but velvety and smooth and quite light. It’s the one I took to Lynda’s for J’s farewell – remember how the kids scoffed it? :D
Hi i have made this cake twice now once for my friends daughters birthday I took it out of the tin left it to cool and then covered it in chocolate butter cream unfortunately i didnt get to taste it but they said it was lovely I made it a couple of weeks later for my family again taking it out of the tray and covering it in chocolate butter cream n grated some chocolate onto the top I got to taste it this time well just about as it was gone in a day! It was fab the best cake ive ever tasted will defo be making this cake for years to come!! : – )))
So glad it’s worked well for you, Debbie! Thanks for letting me know! :)
I have just found your blog as I was looking for a method of making vanilla extract. Love it! thanks for sharing such great methods and ideas.
Desperately planning a visit to Surry Hills this week – wretched work permitting – as Chef’s Warehouse looks fantastic. I buy things at Essential Ingredient, but find it quite expensive, whereas the prices you mentioned for things like callebaut chocolate and vanilla beans were sensational.
Got this cake in the oven now – fingers crossed.
cheers
Anne
Anne, thank you for your lovely comment! Chefs’ Warehouse is actually a bit reminiscent of how the original Essential Ingredient used to be, when it was at Camperdown, and everything was incredibly reasonably priced. I can’t afford to shop there anymore unfortunately.
Hi there,
I found your slab cake recipe after being asked to make the chocoholics dream birthday cake and I must say it was the best recipe for chocolate cake I have ever tasted…The sponge was soooo soft that I had a real job icing it but managed it and it went down a storm.
Thanks for a great recipe.
Glad you liked it, Tracey, thanks for letting me know!
Hi Celia,
We absolutely loved the slab cake you brought in for us. I can’t wait to make this for my kids but definately have to go to Surry Hills first. Thank you so much. You make our day. Uncle Jim finally had his piece and thoroughly enjoyed it. What would we do without you? I hope the strawberries were good. I’ll see you in two weeks. Take care
Roula
I just made this cake for my son’s birthday… it is so excellent! Very chocolately! Thank you!
Jennifer, so glad you liked it, thanks for taking the time to let me know! :)