Homemade Chocolate Brownie Cake Recipe
This homemade Chocolate Brownie Cake recipe creates a delicious hybrid of chocolate brownies and a Texas sheet cake. The cake is topped with luscious chocolate icing made from scratch.
Most brownie recipes only make an 8×8 or 9×9 batch. I came up with this Homemade Chocolate Brownie Cake in order to make a larger batch.
I combined some elements of a few recipes, tweaked them a little, and bam! These chocolate brownies are what some may call a Brownie Sheet Cake.
Ingredients
To make a 9×13 pan of chocolate brownie cake from scratch, you need the following ingredients:
Chocolate Syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Brownie Cake Batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- 10 tablespoons butter (= 1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
- ¾ cup baking cocoa
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
- Chocolate Syrup
Chocolate Icing
- 1¼ cups chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 stick butter
How To Make a Chocolate Brownie Cake
Start by making a simple chocolate syrup. Just sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and a little salt.
The reason to make the syrup first is that it has to come to a boil and then cool. It will thicken some during the cooling period.
While the syrup is cooling, start the other aspects of the brownies, like preparing a 9×13 pan. I like to line it with aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick spray.
Next, gather the other ingredients together. (Above is flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.)
It’s best to add eggs one at a time. I like to crack all of mine into a little glass bowl before adding them. You never know when you will run across a bad egg.
Now, microwave the butter until melted in a medium-size glass bowl. Add cocoa and oil and whisk until smooth.
Transfer the cocoa mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the sugar and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla.
Gradually add the flour mixture. Pour in chocolate syrup and chocolate chips.
Baking Time
Pour batter into prepared 13×9 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until done. Let cool before icing.
This is how it looks before the icing is added.
The icing is a simple chocolate glaze made with chocolate chips, butter, and a little corn syrup.
To make the icing, melt chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals on high, stirring well after each segment. (It took me a total of one minute + an additional 10 seconds.)
Add corn syrup and stir until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes before pouring over brownies.
Chocolate Brownie Cake
Ingredients
Method
- To make the syrup: in a medium or large saucepan, whisk the cocoa powder and sugar until well blended. Add water and whisk over medium-high until it starts to boil and becomes a little frothy. Continue boiling for approximately 3 minutes. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and add salt. Let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom of 13×9 pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and set aside.
- Microwave butter until melted in a medium size glass bowl. Add cocoa and oil and whisk until smooth.
- Transfer cocoa mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture. Pour in chocolate syrup and chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared 13×9 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until done. Let cool before icing.
- To make the icing: Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals on high, stirring well after each segment. (It took me a total of one minute + an additional 10 seconds.) Add corn syrup and stir until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes before pouring over brownies.
Nutrition
Video
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Like chocolate? Be sure to check out these other delicious chocolatey desserts:
- Nutella Bread (aka Chocolate Bread) – Luscious Nutella enrobed in a homemade sweet dough – it’s great for breakfast, snack, and dessert!
- Brown Sugar Blondies – This is the recipe for those who really want a brownie but can’t have chocolate.
What kind of chocolate chips did you use?
I cannot recall what brand, but it was more than likely either Nestle, Publix, or Kroger’s Simple Truth Organic chocolate chips.
What kind of chocolate chips did you use for the cake and icing?
Honestly, I don’t remember what brand, but it would probably have been Nestle, Publix brand, or possibly Kroger’s Simple Truth.
Hey just wondering if it would still be yummy without the espresso powder? I don’t have any in my house due to not drinking coffee or using it in anything. They just look so yummy I really want to try them!
I would imagine they should be fine without the espresso powder. If I did not have espresso powder I would still make them. The powder just helps to highlight the chocolate flavor.
That looks awesome! I’ve never put icing on brownies, but clearly should be. 🙂
Looks amazing. I love brownies.
This looks amazing. I would eat the whole sheet myself. lol.
My only question is are these cakey or fudgy? They look amazing!
I would say that they are a blend of the two, if that makes any sense. Thanks for stopping by.
Those are some good looking brownies. I never have much luck with them myself. Mine always end up hard and overbaked or soft and gooey/raw in the middle.
When do you add the stick of butter to the icing?
Thank you so much for catching that! Melt the butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave. (I went back and corrected the recipe.) 🙂
This looks great! I also have to make some concession stand food in a couple of weeks. Maybe I’ll try your recipe.
I can’t believe you didn’t offer to send me some of these. What kind of friend are you? 😉 Those look sooooooooo good!
I believe my family would gobble that up! I made some Turtle Brownies this weekend, the pan is almost empty, ha ha!
That looks utterly amazing! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
That looks so decadent and delicious!
Now that’s the size of brownie recipe I needed! With a large family, this is perfect! Thank you!
Dang it! I really want some brownies now. Thanks for another great recipe that has me drooling.