Chocolate Yogurt Sheet Cake Bars

This chocolate sheet cake uses Greek yogurt and applesauce in the batter and is finished with a cocoa frosting. The recipe makes 40 bars.

Cake Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup butter
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose white flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Frosting

• ½ cup butter
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place ½ cup butter, the water, and ⅓ cup cocoa in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2–2½ minutes, whisking every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Set aside.
3. Whisk the eggs, yogurt, and applesauce together in a medium bowl until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the whole-wheat flour, white flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
5. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, then stir in the yogurt mixture. A few small lumps are fine.
6. Pour the batter into an ungreased 13×18-inch jelly-roll pan or divide it between two ungreased 9×13-inch baking sheets.
7. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, no wet batter remains, and the center reaches 160°F (71°C).
8. For the frosting, melt the remaining ½ cup butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the remaining ⅓ cup cocoa until smooth.
9. Whisk in the milk and vanilla, then whisk in the powdered sugar.
10. Pour the frosting over the cake and spread it to the edges. Let the cake cool completely and the frosting set before cutting into 40 bars.

Yield

Makes 40 bars.