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Frosted cake slice with sea salt flakes resting on a ceramic plate

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Dark Chocolate Espresso Sheet Cake with Salted Brown Butter Frosting

Recipe by Chloe Davis

Finished with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt, this intensely fudgy, single-layer cake balances the deep bitterness of espresso and dark chocolate with a sweet, nutty brown butter frosting. Baking it in a standard 9×13 pan keeps the process incredibly simple, making it the perfect low-stress dessert for a crowd.

  • Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield15 slices (serves 15) 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake

  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter
  • 4 oz (113g) bittersweet baking chocolate, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup (45g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup (180ml) hot brewed espresso or very strong coffee
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Salted Brown Butter Frosting

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream, cold
  • 1 tbsp bourbon (or vanilla extract)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

  1. Prep the pan and oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides so you can easily lift the cake out later.
  2. Melt the chocolate base: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the ¾ cup of butter and the chopped bittersweet chocolate in 30-second bursts, stirring in between until entirely smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder, then pour in the hot espresso. Whisk until glossy. (The hot liquid blooms the cocoa, amplifying its flavor).
  3. Mix the batter: To the warm chocolate mixture, add the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until the batter is completely smooth and well combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks of flour remain.
  4. Bake the cake: Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, spreading it into an even layer. Bake for 25–29 minutes. The cake is done when the edges pull away slightly from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs (not wet batter). Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. Brown the butter: While the cake bakes, place ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) of the frosting butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, swirling the pan occasionally. It will bubble, foam, and eventually toast the milk solids at the bottom into a deep amber color. Once it smells intensely nutty (about 5–7 minutes), immediately pour it into a heatproof bowl, scraping in all the brown bits. Chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until it reaches the consistency of soft, opaque room-temperature butter.
  6. Whip the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the chilled brown butter and the remaining ¼ cup (½ stick) of softened regular butter. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, cold heavy cream, bourbon, and kosher salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 2–3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
  7. Frost and finish: Scoop the frosting onto the cooled cake and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to create deep, decorative swirls. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt just before slicing.

Notes

  • Why it works: Swapping out a portion of the browned butter for regular softened butter acts as a stabilizer. Brown butter loses its water content during the cooking process, which can cause American-style buttercreams to separate or turn greasy; the regular butter restores that missing structure for a perfectly fluffy whip.
  • Temperature check: Do not skip chilling the browned butter back to a solid state. If you try to whip liquid brown butter into powdered sugar, the frosting will melt into a soupy glaze.

Nutrition (per serving — estimates)

Calories: 490 | Total Carbs: 59g (Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 46g) | Fat: 27g (Saturated: 16g) | Protein: 4g

Nutritional values are approximate, based on standard reference data (USDA FoodData Central). Actual values vary by brand and exact measurements. For precision, use a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Chilling Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 490
  • Sugar: 46g
  • Fat: 27g
  • Saturated Fat: 16g
  • Carbohydrates: 59g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 4g

Find it online: https://delicious.alfityan.org/2026/09/01/dark-chocolate-espresso-sheet-cake-with-brown-butter-frosting/