How to Make a Chocolate Sweet Sixteen Sheet Cake

Chocolate cake is a favorite for many, and an ideal choice for a Sweet 16 birthday party. Sheet cakes are easy to make and don't require extra icing for filling, or skill to stack layers just right. This type of cake is easy to decorate and slices up nicely for serving a large number of guests.

Things You'll Need

• 9-by-13-inch, rectangular cake pan Butter and flour for greasing pan Mixer with two bowls 2 small bowls 2 cups sugar Cake: ½ cup butter, softened 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup cocoa ½ cup hot water 1 cup milk 2 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt Frosting: 6 Tbsp butter, softened ½ cup cocoa powder 2 2/3 cups confectioner's sugar ½ cup milk 1 tsp vanilla Decorating Display board Pastry decorating bag Star decorating tip

Instructions

Making the Cake

1. Prepare your pan by coating it with butter and then dusting it with flour so that a thin coating remains in all areas. Then preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Make the cake batter by creaming together the butter, sugar and eggs in the mixer. Add vanilla to creamed mixture. Sift flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. In an additional separate bowl, add the cocoa to water and then mix with milk.

3. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and the cocoa mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating a little of each at a time until everything is mixed well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Remove cake when fully baked. You can test it by making sure a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool for about 15 minutes. De-pan onto a display board and allow to cool completely.

5. Make frosting using the mixer and mixing bowl by creaming the butter, then mixing cocoa and powdered sugar. Add enough milk to reach a spreadable consistency. Stir in vanilla.

6. Frost the cooled back, covering it completely.

Decorating the Cake

1. Using colored icing and a pastry bag with a star tip or other decorating tip, write a phrase on the cake such as "Happy Sweet 16".

2. Pick out some candies to decorate the cake keeping the person's favorite things in mind for another decorating option. Use jelly beans, gummy candies, chocolate candy coated candies or cookies. Be creative and use them to reflect the recipient's preferences such as jewelry, sports, music or gaming.

3. Order a small flour arrangement from your local florist as another option. Be sure to tell them it will sit on top of a cake so they provide an appropriate base for the arrangement. Simply set the flowers on top of the cake for a beautiful display.

4. Add frosting to the decorating bag with a star-tip and decoratively pipe icing around top and bottom edges of cake to finish off the cake.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider making a white frosting using the same recipe, but without cocoa for writing on the cake. You can also color this frosting with food coloring. If you are in a hurry or don't have all the ingredients you can use a boxed cake mix.

• Allow the cake to cool complete before frosting or the heat will melt it off the cake.

Resources

• Basic Chocolate Cake
• Buttercream Frosting