Description
This Hostess Sheet Cake recipe offers a moist, rich devil’s food cake layered with a fluffy marshmallow filling and topped with a smooth dark chocolate ganache. Finished with delicate vanilla icing swirls, it’s a classic, delicious treat perfect for gatherings and celebrations.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cake:
- 15.25 ounces Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Coffee
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
For the Marshmallow Filling:
- 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 13 ounces Marshmallow Creme
- 6 tablespoons Salted Butter, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1/2 tablespoon Clear Vanilla Extract
For the Ganache Topping:
- 5 ounces Dark Chocolate Chips (at least 60% cacao)
- 5 ounces Heavy Cream
For the Vanilla Icing Swirls:
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Whole Milk
- 1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12×18 sheet pan with parchment paper with an overhang for easy cake removal.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, whole milk, coffee, and vegetable oil. Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Prepare Pan and Bake: Spray the parchment-lined pan with nonstick spray. Pour batter evenly into pan and bake for 13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Remove the cake from oven and let cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour.
- Slice Cake: Cut the cooled cake in half widthwise to create two 12×9 cake layers.
- Prepare Filling: In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, marshmallow creme, softened salted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and lump-free. Adjust thickness with additional powdered sugar if needed.
- Assemble Cake with Filling: Place one cake layer top side down on a parchment-lined smaller sheet pan. Spread the marshmallow filling evenly to the edges.
- Top Cake Layer: Gently place the second cake layer on top, right side up, aligning edges carefully and wiping away any filling that spills out.
- Make Ganache: Heat heavy cream in microwave for 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds and avoiding boiling. Pour over chocolate chips; stir until smooth and glossy. Let rest 5 minutes to thicken.
- Apply Ganache: Pour half the ganache over the cake and spread to the edges. Add remaining ganache to cover the top completely. Let the cake set for 1 hour.
- Prepare Vanilla Icing: Mix powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and combined.
- Mark and Pipe Icing: Optional: mark 4×3 grid on cake surface to guide slicing into 12 pieces. Use a piping bag with a small cut tip to pipe looping lines of vanilla icing along each row.
- Serve: Slice the cake into 12 pieces along the marked sections, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use brewed coffee for added depth of flavor in the cake batter.
- If marshmallow filling is too runny, add more powdered sugar to thicken to a spreadable consistency.
- Do not let the heavy cream boil when heating for the ganache to prevent separation.
- The parchment paper overhang makes lifting the cake out easier after baking.
- Use a hand mixer for smooth, even mixing of batters and fillings to reduce lumps and ease preparation.
- Let the ganache set completely before piping icing to avoid mixing or melting.
- Clear vanilla extract is used to maintain the desired flavor without discoloration.
- Store leftover cake covered at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 3 days for best freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
