Mocha Sheet Cake with Espresso Frosting

I love sheet cakes, because they're super-easy to make (no faffing around with layers), brilliantly versatile, perfect for feeding a crowd, and an easy win at bake sales.

This one is rich with chocolate and coffee, and a handsome partner to good latte or espresso, making it a bit more grown-up than most – although if you prefer, you can swap the frosting for a regular chocolate 'buttercream.'

If you're using coconut milk instead of cream, pop the tin in the fridge to chill first, to make sure you get that lovely layer of cream on top.

SERVES:
10-12

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

For the frosting

¾ cup coconut cream, or the creamy top layer of a tin of coconut milk

1½ cups vegan dark chocolate

2 tsp freeze-dried espresso coffee

2 tbsp maple syrup

Wet ingredients

1½ cups oat milk or plant-based alternative

1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar

1 shot espresso

½ cup groundnut or other light oil

Dry ingredients

2 cups plain flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ cup caster or coconut sugar

Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Lightly grease a 30 x 20cm cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
Fill a small saucepan with a few inches of water, and bring to a gentle boil. Rest a metal bowl on top, making sure its bottom isn't touching the water, and add all the frosting ingredients.
Stir gently until everything is melted and fully combined. Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature. Once it's cooled, place the bowl in the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
Next, make your cake. Combine the wet ingredients in one bowl, and the dry ingredients in another. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk together until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
Pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin, and bake for 30-40 mins, or until it's risen and firm to the touch, and a skewer comes out clean.
Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
After a couple of hours of chilling, the frosting will have firmed up. Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, whip the frosting until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly.
When the cake has cooled, remove it from its tin, and place on a serving plate or board. Spread the frosting over the top, cut into squares, and enjoy a large piece with a cup of good coffee.