Sheet Cake in Advance

Our answer

Nigella's Chocolate Sheet Cake (on the Nigella website) is a good cake for a large party as it is made in a large rectangular tray or pan and can be sliced easily into squares or rectangles. However the sheet cake needs to be iced when it comes out of the oven and is still warm and if it is left to stand for a very long time then it can become a tiny bit sticky.

If you do want to try it in advance let the cake cool and then wrap it, still in its pan, tightly in clingflim (plastic wrap) and leave it in a cool place. Any decorations added at the time of making will soften too much after 1 1/2 days so if you do want to decorate it is best to do this just before serving, even though they will not stick on quite as well. As an alternative you may like to make chocolate brownies as they are made in a similar pan and can be divided up easily for a party and keep well. Nigella's Triple Chocolate Brownies (from Feast) are particularly popular.