Chocolate Sheet Cake with Coconut Seven-Minute Frosting

So, if I was on a deserted island and only had access to one dessert and was given a choice as to what it might be, I’d have to go with chocolate sheet cake with coconut frosting. I have always loved the combo of chocolate and coconut – and if the chocolate is in the form of a devil’s food cake (rich and dark and moist) and the coconut is in the form of a seven-minute frosting (basically marshmallow cream disguised as frosting), I am in cake heaven and thus, as you might imagine, never leaving the island.However, despite my love of chocolate sheet cake with coconut seven-minute frosting, this is the first time I have ever developed a recipe for one. The chocolate sheet cake is easy and practically one bowl – and it’s oil-based, which is my favorite kind. I know there’s a lot of talk about how an oil-based cake might be super moist (it is), but is lacking in the amazing flavor-department that butter provides, but I beg to differ. At least when it comes to this here chocolate oil-based cake, you will not be wanting for flavor – I promise. The seven minute frosting is also easy and – like I mentioned above – wonderfully marshmallow-y. You do need to cook sugar and egg whites on the stove top but for JUST SEVEN MINUTES. Literally.This cake is lovely for birthday celebrating, but I also think of it as just lovely for Tuesday celebrating, or Wednesday, or Thursday celebrating – you get the picture. 

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Chocolate Sheet Cake with Coconut Frosting

Recipe Author Jessie Sheehan

Course Cake, Dessert, Desserts

Cuisine Cake

Keyword cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups cake flour sifted
• 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted if lumpy
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp pure coconut extract or vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp espresso powder

For the coconut frosting:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsps light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tsps coconut extract or vanilla more to taste
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut for decorating toasted

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degreees and grease a 13x9x2-inch pan with cook- ing spray or softened butter. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease again.
• Add the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
• In a small bowl, add the egg and yolk, coconut extract, oil, and but- termilk and whisk until combined. With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Beat until incorporated, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Combine the boiling water and espresso powder in the same small bowl, no need to clean it, and add to the batter in the mixer bowl. Mix again on medium speed for 30 seconds, until smooth. The batter will be quite thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotat- ing at the halfway point. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.

For the frosting:

• Place a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water over medium-high heat. Do not allow the bottom of the pan to touch the water. Add the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, salt, and water.
• Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg white mixture on high speed until stiff and glossy, about seven minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan of hot water, add the coco- nut extract, and continue beating for another two minutes.
• Use immediate- ly, spreading thickly and decoratively on your cooled chocolate cake. Slice the cake using a sharp knife dipped in hot water for the cleanest slices, wiping the knife clean and re-dipping it each time you make a cut. This cake is best eaten the day it is made.