Chocolate Cake with Condensed Milk (cocoa powder)
An old-fashioned sheet cake with great chocolate flavor. The top layer is crackly outside but remains gooey and rather soft inside. It keeps well and is perfect for potlucks, casual parties, or when you simply crave chocolate! Have it slightly underbaked for a fudgier experience.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 517kcal
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar light or dark, firmly packed
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces or 397g, divided
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar also known as icing sugar or confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).
- Grease a 10x15-inch (25x38cm) pan. I usually serve it directly from the pan or cake tin, but if you want to remove it and serve it on a platter, use a cake pan with a removable bottom and line it with parchment paper. See Notes below.
For the cake:
- Melt 1 cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan.
- Add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Sift 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 ½ cups brown sugar and combine.
- Make a well in the center and add the cocoa mixture, ⅓ can sweetened condensed milk (eyeball it), 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the cake springs back and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some moist crumbs attached. It should not come out wet. Don't overbake it. This is not a very tall cake, so it doesn't take long to bake. But all ovens and pans are different.
- Have the chocolate icing ready before the cake comes out of the oven.
Make the crackly chocolate icing:
- Melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan (I use the same one as before without cleaning it).
- Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and the remaining ⅔ can sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.
- Add 1 cup powdered sugar and mix until completely smooth.
- Spread the frosting over the warm chocolate cake as it comes out of the oven. Or make a poke cake: pierce or poke holes in the surface of the cake with a skewer when it comes out of the oven. Then pour the chocolate icing over them. It will seep more into the baked cake, and the whole thing will be fudgier.
- You can eat it warm after about 1 hour. It'll be very messy, and you'll have to serve it from the pan. Or let it cool completely first, so it's easier to serve. If you want to remove it from the pan, refrigerate it first, just until firm, so it's easier to handle.
- Refrigerate leftovers, well covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Notes
Cake pan: I sometimes use a rectangular pan without a removable bottom and serve the cake straight from the pan. This is because when you pour the frosting, some of it spills over to the sides and sometimes down the bottom. However, you can use a pan with a removable bottom and line it (see below). Refrigerate the cake after you glaze it, then remove it from the pan before serving.
Cake pan size: You can use a 13x18-inch (33x45cm) pan, which is known as a half sheet cake pan, and the cake will be shorter. The baking time will be less, so keep that in mind.
I recommend lining the pan if you want to remove the cake. Use strips of parchment paper to line the greased pan. When ready to cut and serve, they will help you lift and remove the whole cake. The strips must be as wide as the pan. Use 2 strips to make a criss-cross pattern and cover the bottom (twice) and all sides. One strip will be wider than the other.
Sweetened condensed milk: it's a must ingredient and can't be substituted. Use regular milk, not unsweetened or evaporated milk.
Baking time: Please note that all ovens and pans can vary, even if they appear similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the correct temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and identifying any minor details that may need adjustment.
Fudgier cake: If you slightly underbake the cake, it will be fudgier. And even more amazing, in my opinion!
Walnuts: Sometimes, I sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of the icing before it sets.
Serving it: I like it as is, straight from the pan. However, you can recreate the so-called 'better than sex cake' by adding a thick layer of whipped cream, drizzling caramel sauce or dulce de leche over it, and topping it with chopped Heath bars or toffee bits. A decadent dessert for those with a sweet tooth!
Variation: For a more sophisticated version, add a tablespoon of your favorite liquor (I love Kahlúa, Baileys, and Cointreau) to both the batter and the icing. Or whisky/bourbon; it works so well with chocolate.
Cocoa powder: Always use unsweetened cocoa powder. In my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade Oreo cookies, known as 'dark or black cocoa powder').
Cocoa powder: Always use unsweetened cocoa powder. In my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade Oreo cookies, known as 'dark or black cocoa powder').
Nutrition
Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 719IU | Vitamin C: 1mg
