Low Sodium Easy Chocolate Cake

Total time1 hr 25 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

This deeply chocolatey sheet cake gets its rich color and flavor from cocoa powder and a splash of hot coffee, which deepens every note of chocolate in the crumb. The batter comes together in one bowl and bakes up moist and tender, then gets draped in a glossy, pourable ganache made from finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate. It's a low-effort, high-reward dessert — no layers to stack, no piping required, just a big pan of cake anyone can pull off on a weeknight. The result is a soft, fudgy texture with a shiny, mirror-like topping that sets into the perfect balance of firm and silky. This one is a great option to keep on hand for an added salt approach, since the flavor payoff comes entirely from real cocoa and melted chocolate rather than anything you need to second-guess. Slice it into squares and serve it straight from the pan for the easiest chocolate fix in your rotation.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
King Arthur Baking Company Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose Unbleached - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Pillsbury Best Flour All Purpose - 5 Lb
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2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup neutral oil (such as vegetable oil or canola oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed coffee or hot water

For the ganache

1 cup heavy cream
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and dust lightly with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.
2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

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