Chocolate Sheet Cake with Maple Frosting (Gluten-Free)

Today’s recipe for Chocolate Sheet Cake with Maple Frosting is a real old-fashioned dessert that comes from the Depression era. It is Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free (without the frosting) and Egg-Free. Dairy and eggs were difficult to get during the Depression so this cake could be made with pantry items. This cake is a beautiful blending of flavors that you may have never thought of combining. But trust me, chocolate and maple are wonderful together!

This recipe spoke to my heart because my grandmother, Mimi, my cooking/baking inspiration, survived the Depression and always put food on the table with her wits and creativity. Simple, hearty and delicious foods that fill you up – I still dream about her chicken and dumplings, caramel candies, and cinnamon twists!

You could make this dessert even when ingredients were scarce because it doesn’t contain eggs, milk, or butter which were expensive and hard to find. Regular pantry supplies could be mixed together and your family had a delicious cake for the evening meal. 

The use of oil instead of butter adds a luscious richness to the cake and helps it rise to create a light crumb. With a simple swap from all-purpose flour to a gluten-free blend, you’ve got a dessert virtually everyone can enjoy. This cake is so good it doesn’t even need frosting.

I thought I would give a nod to my grandmother Mimi and make a riff on the caramel frosting that always topped my father’s favorite cake, her Red Devil’s Food cake. I made it every year for his birthday and he “staked a claim” to at least half of the cake!

A friend of mine can consume butter but not milk products, so I made a new version of Mimi’s caramel frosting, using maple syrup to provide the moisture the heavy cream would have in the original recipe and add flavor. This way we can both enjoy chatting over a cup of coffee and a piece of luscious cake! Maple may not be the first frosting that comes to mind when you think of chocolate cake, but it is absolutely addictive.

I had fun with this heartfelt walk down the path of my childhood. Enjoy this chocolate sheet cake with maple frosting my friends, and Happy Chocolate Monday!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a star rating, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day. I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for Chocolate Sheet Cake with Maple Frosting:

• Cake: flour, xanthan gum (if using gf flour without it), sugar
• Cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, water, olive oil, white vinegar
• Frosting: butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, vanilla
• Maple flavoring, confectioners’ sugar

 

PRO Tip:

Whipping the frosting for longer than normal before adding the powdered sugar helps you be sure that all the sugar granules are dissolved. Without using the normal cream, you may want to beat it longer than normal.

 

How to make Chocolate Sheet Cake with Maple Frosting:

1. Make the Cake: Butter and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Add the water, olive oil, and vinegar, stirring until well combined.
2. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Set the baking pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
3. To serve, sprinkle the top with a little confectioners’ sugar (for dairy-free) or top with the Maple Buttercream Frosting (following).
4. Prepare the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and maple flavoring. Beat on low until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beater as needed.
5. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the sugar, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl and beater occasionally. Start with 2 cups adding more as needed to get to a good spreading consistency.
6. To Serve: Spread the frosting evenly in a thick layer over the top of the cake with an off-set spatula. Let it set up for 15 minutes before slicing. Store the cake, covered, in the refrigerator, and return to room temperature before serving.

 

PRO Tip:

I baked mine in a ceramic baking dish and it needed about 10 minutes longer baking time. If you use a thin aluminum pan, it will likely take less time. Always take into consideration the type of pan you are using and its heating properties. You will get better results!

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• 9×13-inch baking pan
• Mixing bowls
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Off-set spatula

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

Use a gluten-free flour blend and add a little xanthan gum (or psyllium husk powder if gums bother you). The cake is very moist and tender, a little more so with the GF flour. You may need to bake it a little longer. Be sure it pulls away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

Here are more recipes from The Secret Recipe Club just for you!

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. To learn more about me, click here. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Oct 2016. The article was updated in 2023.