Have you heard of Texas Sheet Cake? Super easy to whip up. A deliciously moist chocolate cake the size of Texas. A frosting reminiscent of hot fudge. And it’s big enough to feed a crowd.
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!
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the ingredients in Texas sheet cake
What is a Texas sheet cake? It’s an oversized, thin moist chocolate cake with a pourable creamy 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
Everything is bigger in Texas and so is this larger than life cake. It is without a doubt The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever. Not only is it ultra-moist but, it has just the right amount of chocolatiness from 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.
chef baking tips for making chocolate sheet cake from scratch
- This is a pretty foolproof recipe. No mixer is needed.
- If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute 1/2 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.
a Texas Sheet Cake is versatile
The cake bakes in a half baking sheet. It is a large 18 inch by 12 inch cake. Total time to make the cake from start to finish is about 30 minutes. The easy to prepare dessert is ideal for feeding a crowd. It can be cut in large pieces and 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. Also, it is easy to dress it up for holidays and parties.
My copy of the recipe is tattered and chocolate stained because I have made it so many times. I cherish the recipe as it is 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.
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!
If you make this chocolatey Texas sheet cake 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.
more dessert recipe ideas
- Easy Oreo Cheesecake – a creamy cheesecake with an Oreo crust.
- 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!
my cooking videos ~ Oreo cheesecake
If you make this family favorite cake 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 and how you decorate the cake.
Print Texas Sheet Cake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 48 (2 in. x 2 in.) pieces 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 butter
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- for the icing
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pound of powdered sugar (about 3 1/2 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, 1/3 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 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 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.
- Let cool completely before decorating.
- To decorate, cut the cake into the desired size squares. Top with a squiggle of frosting and decorate with candy stars or sprinkles.
Notes
If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
Store the cake covered with plastic wrap. Best eaten within 2 to 3 days.
- Category: dessert
- Method: simmer and oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 (2 in x 2 in) piece
- Calories: 146
- Sugar: 17.9 g
- Sodium: 98 mg
- Fat: 6.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.6 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
Keywords: Texas sheet cake, Texas sheet cake easy, Texas sheet cake frosting
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