If you're looking for a delicious way to indulge in a chocolatey sweet treat, then look no further than this Texas sheet cake made with buttermilk! This chocolate sheet cake with fudge frosting hits the spot. You'll love this classic Southern dessert!
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why I love Texas sheet cake with buttermilk
I rarely make claims that a recipe is “the best ever.” Many recipes can benefit from a little tweaking. Add an additional one-half cup of dark chocolate chips to make the ultimate chocolate chip cookies. Marinara sauce simmered with fresh basil is leaps and bounds superior to one with dried basil. There is always room for improvement in a recipe.
Texas Sheet Cake is the exception to this rule. It is the little black dress of cakes. Dress it up. Dress it down. This larger than life cake is welcome everywhere!
Everything is bigger in Texas and so is this larger than life cake. It is without a doubt The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever. It's ultra-moist. And it has the right amount of chocolatiness. The thin layer of cake and the fudgy icing that reminds me of a rich mug of hot cocoa. Easy to make? Definitely! The batter mixes in 1 bowl. Easy peasy.
ingredients
What's a Texas sheet cake? It's an oversized, thin, ultra moist chocolate cake with a creamy fudge frosting. Some say it got its name because the cake is as BIG as Texas.
- salted butter
- cocoa powder
- water
- granulated sugar
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- buttermilk
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- milk
- powdered sugar
- sprinkles, jimmies, sanding sugar, or your favorite cake decorations
recipe details
My copy of the recipe is tattered, chocolate stained, and will loved. I cherish the recipe. It's a hand written from the mom of my childhood best friend. Over the past 40 years, I have whipped up a Texas sheet cake well over 100 times. A true testament to just how delicious the cake is.
- Preheat the oven and grease a half sheet pan.
- In a saucepan add butter, cocoa powder, and water. Stir and cook the until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour cocoa mixture over the flour mixture and mix.
- Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Rap the baking sheet on the oven baking rake to remove any air bubbles. Bake another 8 to 9 minutes or until the cake bounces bake when lightly touched.
- Prepare the icing while the cake bakes. In a saucepan add and stir the remaining butter, cocoa powder, and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
- Cool the baked cake for 5 minutes. Pour the icing over the top and spread it out evenly.
That's it! Grab a glass of milk. Time for a slice of cake.
expert tips
- If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute ½ cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Let sit about 5 minutes before adding it to batter.
- Make sure the ingredients are well mixed after each addition.
- After the cake bakes for half of the baking time, give it a gently rap on the oven rack. This will eliminate any bubbles in the batter.
- Start to make the frosting about 5 minutes before the cake is done. After the cake cools for 5 minutes, pour the frosting quickly over the cake and spread it evenly. The frosting sets up in a jiffy so add any decorations immediately.
- The chocolate sheet cake stays fresh for 2 to 3 days when covered and stored at room temperature.
a Texas sheet cake is great for any occasion
The cake bakes in a half baking sheet. It's a LARGE 18 inch by 12 inch cake. Start to finish time for the quick Texas sheet cake is about 30 minutes.
The easy to prepare dessert can be served anywhere. It's ideal for feeding a crowd. Cut in large pieces to serve 24 people. Or cut it into 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch squares to yield a whopping 8 dozen mini cake bites. Add a squiggle of frosting and some sprinkles to each piece to transform the plain looking chocolate cake into the main attraction of the dessert table. It's so easy to dress it up for holidays and parties.
If a no-fail, delicious, and oh so easy to prepare dessert is what you are after, this is the recipe to make. Be the star of any picnic, potluck or party when you bring a Texas Sheet Cake!
more dessert recipes
- Easy Oreo Cheesecake - A creamy cheesecake with an Oreo crust.
- Flakey Blueberry and Cheese Puff Pastry Danish - Easy to make with frozen puff pastry.
- French Silk Pie - A copycat recipe of the pie served at Bakers Square Restaurant.
- Great Aunt Rose's Pound Cake - A family favorite for over 100 years!
just one more thing
If you make this chocolatey Texas sheet cake with buttermilk recipe, I’d love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.
Also check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages for lots of fabulous foodie stories, videos, cooking tips, and recipes. Sign up for my newsletter and never miss one of my new recipes.
Recipe
Texas Sheet Cake with Buttermilk
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
A delicious chocolate cake that is big enough to feed a crowd. The moist thin cake is topped with a warm chocolate icing. The versatile cake can be decorated for any holiday or party.
Ingredients
- for the cake-
- 1 cup salted butter
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- for the icing
- ½ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pound of powdered sugar (about 3 ½ cups)
- Candy stars or sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 18-inch x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat add 1 cup butter, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, and water. Stir to combine the ingredients. Cook the ingredients until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour cocoa mixture over the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread it evenly out.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Then gently rap the baking sheet on the oven baking rake to force the air to escape from between the pan and the batter. Bake another 8 to 9 minutes or until the cake bounces bake when lightly touched. Remove cake from oven.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining ½ cup butter, ¼ cup cocoa powder, and milk. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat. Whisk in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and powdered sugar until smooth.
- When the cake comes out of the oven let cool for 5 minutes. Then pour the icing over the top and spread it out evenly. The frosting hardens quickly so add the decorations as soon as the icing is spread on the cake.
Equipment
Notes
- This is a pretty foolproof recipe. No mixer is needed.
- If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute ½ cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Let sit about 5 minutes before adding it to batter.
- Make sure the ingredients are well mixed after each addition.
- After the cake bakes for half of the baking time, give it a gently rap on the oven rack. This will eliminate any bubbles in the batter.
- Start to make the frosting about 5 minutes before the cake is done. After the cake cools for 5 minutes, pour the frosting quickly over the cake and spread it evenly. The frosting sets up in a jiffy so add any decorations immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake in oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 35.7 g
- Sodium: 197 mg
- Fat: 12.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.9 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Coleen
SO, so yummy! We cant stop eating it! Made this simple recipe with my grandkids. They loved helping and decorating it too.
Amy Casey
That's awesome Coleen! I love that your grandkids joined in making the cake. What a fun time!!