Our Texas Sheet Cake is the size of Texas! It is a sweet chocolate cake covered in rich chocolate icing that’s perfect for feeding a hungry crowd. The decadent, fudgy flavors of this classic southern dessert are every chocolate lover’s dream and easily made on a single sheet pan!
What is Texas Sheet Cake?
If you’re on the hunt for a dessert to serve at your next gathering, you’ve just hit the jackpot. This Texas sheet cake is the best!
It got its name because it is the size of Texas and can easily feed a large crowd. With the decadent chocolate flavors from the homemade cake and frosting, it’s always a total hit.
Better yet, it’s super easy to make and comes together in just 35 minutes start to finish. There’s no denying the fudgy chocolate flavors that go all the way through the cake as the icing soaks in. The chocolate lovers in your life will definitely give this one the stamp of approval!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe for Texas Sheet Cake
- Quick and easy to make homemade sheet cake recipe -ready in 45 minutes.
- Sheet pan dessert that serves a crowd.
- Simple ingredients list that uses many pantry staples.
- Southern recipe for a sweet chocolate cake and frosting.
- Homemade icing tops the chocolate cake for a decadent fudgy flavor.
Other Easy Cake Recipes
Texas Sheet Cake Recipe Ingredients
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Cocoa powder
- Unsalted butter
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- Baking soda
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
Recommended Tools
- Mixing bowls
What size pan for Texas Sheet Cake?
- 18×13 inch baking sheet
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake recipe substitutions and additions
- BUTTERMILK: You can make your own buttermilk by using 2% milk mixed with lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
- PECANS: If you like nuts, or want to add a crunch to this recipe, you can add in 1 cup of chopped pecans to your frosting.
- CINNAMON: For an added flavor, you can mix in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon with your cake batter and ½ a teaspoon to your frosting. It is so delicious!
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
- Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. In a pan over medium-low heat, melt butter and whisk in cocoa powder. Add boiling water to the mixture.
- Combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into the chocolate mixture and whisk together.
- Mix this with the dry ingredients. Pour the final mixture into a prepared sheet pan and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Pro-tip: Using a different size sheet pan will result in changes to the thickness of the cake and may need cooking time adjusted.
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake Frosting
- Melt butter in a pan and combine with cocoa powder. Remove from heat, add milk and vanilla.
- Sift in the powdered sugar. Whisk until no lumps remain.
- Remove the cake from the oven and poke holes with a fork.
Pro-tip: A fork or a wooden barbecue skewer is the perfect width for the holes in the cake. - Pour the frosting mixture over the cake and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
Pro-tip: When you’re pouring the cream into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the frosting fills the holes completely.
Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe tips
- Using a different size sheet pan will result in changes to the thickness of the cake and may need cooking time adjusted.
- A fork or a wooden barbecue skewer is the perfect width for the holes in the cake.
- When you’re pouring the cream into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the frosting fills the holes completely.
How to Store Texas Sheet Cake with Buttermilk
- To Store: You can store Texas sheet cake on the counter at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cover any leftovers with plastic or foil. The cake will stay moist without being refrigerated because of the frosting that soaks into the cake.
- To Freeze: Cover the cooled cake in plastic or foil and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, be sure to let the cake thaw and come to room temperature before serving.
More like this Recipe for Texas Sheet Cake!
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Death By Chocolate Poke Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
- Strawberry Poke Cake
- 8 Delicious Poke Cake Recipes
Recipe for Texas Sheet Cake with Buttermilk
Serves — 15
Texas Sheet Cake is a sweet chocolate cake covered in rich chocolate icing that’s perfect for feeding a hungry crowd. The decadent, fudgy flavors of this classic southern dessert are every chocolate lover’s dream!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp cocoa
- 16 tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs whisked together
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
- 14 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp cocoa
- 6 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Lightly spray an 18×13 baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl combine your flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a large sauce pan over medium-low heat melt your unsalted butter. Add your cocoa powder and whisk together.
- Add boiling water and whisk it into the mixture.
- In a separate small bowl, combine your buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla then whisk together. Stir buttermilk mixture into chocolate mixture and whisk together. Mix with dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and salt).
- Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and poke with forks (so that the yummy frosting goes down into the cake just a little bit and makes it even that much better).
- While your cake is baking, start your frosting by melting your remaining 14 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add your cocoa and whisk together. Turn off heat. Add your milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar (sift it in while whisking instead of just dumping all of it in at once). Stir until no lumps remain.
- Pour your frosting over your cake and let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- To Store: You can store Texas sheet cake on the counter at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cover any leftovers with plastic or foil. The cake will stay moist without being refrigerated because of the frosting that soaks into the cake.
- To Freeze: Cover the cooled cake in plastic or foil and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, be sure to let the cake thaw and come to room temperature before serving.
- Using a different-sized sheet pan will result in changes to the thickness of the cake and may need cooking time adjusted.
- A fork or a wooden barbecue skewer is the perfect width for the holes in the cake.
- When you’re pouring the cream into the holes, tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles and make sure the frosting fills the holes completely.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 754IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
I always use coke in mine. It’s the same measurement as yours. Very delicious! Try it and see what you think.
Never have I ever made a cake from scratch before, I just made this one and HOLY SH*T it’s amazing. I even ran out of sugar and had to use 1 cup of brown sugar, it still turned out amazing and I can’t wait to try it again when I have the right sugar. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Make it now!!
Question, plz:
Do u have suggestions or advice for Gluten free & dairy free option for the Texas Sheet Cake? For sake of family members w such allergies we appreciate your help. TY!
Gluten free Peanut Butter Cookies
1 c brown sugar packed
1c peanut butter
1 egg
1 t soda
1 t vanilla flavoring
Mix altogether cook on 350 for 12 min. Cool .
You can crunchy peanut butter, add pb or chocolate chips. Delicious