CHERRY CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE, quick & easy crowd-pleaser, no-icing sugar, cocoa & chocolate

There is nothing like an American 'sheet' cake for a crowd...

Chocolate Sheet Cake studded with fresh cherries with cocoa not chocolate 
(for amateur gardeners in a strenuous Sunday session) 

67 loves the idea of American sheet cakes which are as it says on the tin: cake baked in a large flat tray to feed a crowd.  The look of the cake is so tidy and neat.  Usually served in squares or rectangles, the cake is thinner and flatter than usual.  Taste isn't affected but somehow the eating of it is different, more pleasurable.

Americans tend to use special recipes for sheet cakes and they are rich, moist and dense.  But translating American measurements to Imperial (UK) is not easy and many an unsuspecting baker has come a cropper.  67 instead turns to reliable standards from its recipe box.

In this one, 67 used a favourite one-bowl 8x8inch/20x20 cm chocolate cake, multiplied the ingredients by 1.5 and baked it in a 11x9in/28cmx23cm tin.  The tin was - strictly speaking - not really large enough for the amount of batter; 67 has now located a 12x13inch/31x33cm tin which should produce the requisite sheet cake thinness.

Even so, the more-than-a-sheetcake was moist, delicate and fine-crumbed with a mellow dark chocolate overtone -- rather special.  And the cherries soaked in (optional) brandy were gorgeous! 

67goingon50's recipe is healthier than most -- it has no butter.  It is also ideal when stores of baking chocolate are getting low but the cupboard has cocoa in abundance.  

The recipe is adapted from the late Michael Barry, the head of London's first commercial radio station.

Cost: £3.00'ish plus cost of topping (4/2024)
Feeds:16-20

Ingred:

   225gm/7.9oz self raising flour (plain flour, add 2 tsp baking powder)
   6 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
   1.5 baking powder
   1.5 tsp baking soda

   165gm/5.8oz sugar
   225 ml sunflower oil
   225 ml mill
   1 tsp vanilla
   3 large or 4.5 small eggs

  couple of handfuls fresh cherries, pitted and halved

  brandy

Gilding the sheet cake lily with
double cream and extra chocolate topping  

No-Icing-Sugar Topping

75gm/2.6oz 70% baking chocolate
85 ml milk or cream (if no cholesterol worries)

 
Garnish: couple of handfuls fresh cherries, coarsely chopped, soaked in brandy for 2 hours and drained OR baking cherries OR sprinkles 

  

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160C/325F
2. Line a 13x9in/33cmx23cm (or 12x13inch/31x33cm) tin with greaseproof paper 
3. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & soda into a large bowl; hand whisk till blended
4. Add sugar, then milk, oil, eggs & vanilla.  
5. Using electric beaters or a wooden spoon beat until smooth, dark brown and creamy. 
6. Bake 15 min; reduce heat to 150C/300F.  Cook another 15-20 mins but 10 mins before the end, insert a skewer in the centre; if it comes out clean, it's done.   
7. Cool 15 mins in tin; transfer to cooling rack 
8. When completely cool: drizzle over No Icing Sugar Icing and add fruit, if using

No Icing Sugar Icing 

1. Melt chocolate in a bowl over but not touching simmering water
2. Off the heat, add milk or cream; blend well.
3. Dribble over the cake 
4. Scatter over drained cherries
5. Use leftovers as a sauce, on the side, or for another occasion
6. Garnish, if liked

Comments:

'Absolutely lovely; you could sell this! And yes I could taste the cherry brandy!'  Retired 86 year old priest

'I love this because it's not over-sweet and the chocolate has a lovely mellowness'  Retiree

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This recipe  & advice has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.