Sharing the BEST Texas Sheet Cake recipe today that is about to blow your mind! This Texas Sheet Cake is perfectly soft, sweet and rich with dark cocoa powder. Perfect for potlucks and any party celebration.
Texas Sheet Cake
Thrilled to share this decadent sheet cake with you today that is perfect for any occasion. It’s a chocolate lovers dream for sure. Perfect for serving large number of people and easy to transport. Excited for you to try my recipe!
What Is Texas Sheet Cake?
It’s basically a soft chocolate caked baked in a jelly roll pan with warm rich chocolate frosting poured over top. Pecans are often added to the frosting as well. This style of cake is very popular for potlucks and parties as it serves 16 people in one pan.
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What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Texas Sheet Cake. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details.
- butter– For most of my recipes, I use salted butter. Unsalted works just fine too.
- unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s Dark is preferred)- Cocoa powder can be found in the baking section of the grocery store.
- all-purpose flour– Flour is the main dry ingredient for the cake.
- granulated sugar– This fine sugar gives the cake its sweetness.
- baking soda– Baking soda helps the cake rise when baking.
- kosher salt– This coarse salt is commonly used in cooking and baking.
- buttermilk- Buttermilk is added as part of the wet ingredients. Don’t use any buttermilk substitutes.
- large eggs– For consistency I use large eggs in my baking.
- pure vanilla extract– For best tasting results, use pure vanilla extract.
- 2% milk- Milk is used to make the chocolate icing.
- powdered sugar– Also referred to as confectioners sugar. This sugar is used to make the icing.
How To Make Texas Sheet Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 13 x 17 1/2 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. You can also line with tin foil if you’d like.
Melt Butter. To prepare cake, place 2 sticks of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat to melt. Stir in water then whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Stir until mixture comes to a boil then remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Prepare Cake Batter. Place flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Place buttermilk, eggs and vanilla into a small bowl, whisk then stir into flour mixture. Pour warm chocolate mixture into bowl, slowly. I do this in three phases, stirring in between each. Pour cake batter into jelly roll pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until baked through.
Prepare Icing. Start preparing icing when there’s 5 minutes of bake time left on the sheet cake. Place milk and cocoa powder into a large saucepan over medium heat, whisking to combine. Stir in softened butter and bring mixture to a boil. When comes to a boil, turn off heat then slowly add powdered sugar whisking very well until icing is a nice consistency. Note, this icing sets up if left alone too long. Needs to be poured over cake as soon as its done. Pour icing over warm cake spreading evenly over sides. Let cake cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Note, using a plastic knife to cut squares helps cut without cake sticking.
Why Is It Called Texas Sheet Cake?
Some say it’s simply because the cake is huge. Others say because it’s because it’s ultra rich. Some point to the addition of ingredients like buttermilk and pecans, or to the fact that the recipe is similar to one submitted to the Dallas Morning News in 1957 that subsequently swept the country.Continue to add melted chocolate until cake has been well combined.
Pour cake batter into prepared jelly roll pan and spread evenly.
What Size Jelly Roll Pan For Texas Sheet Cake?
There are a few different sizes of jelly roll pans, but I found that using the 13 x 17 1/2 inch size is perfect.
Once cake has cooled for about 20 minutes, cut into squares. Using a plastic knife helps prevent sticking. One of my favorite baking tricks.
So excited for you to try this decadent chocolate cake. It’s PERFECTION.
How To Serve
Serve sheet cake recipe for any occasion where cake is needed. Serve room temperature or warm. Try topping with vanilla ice cream too!
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Try More Sheet Cake Recipes!
- Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake
- Banana Cookies and Cream Sheet Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Sheet Cake
The BEST Texas Sheet Cake!
Equipment
- Oven
- Bowl
- saucepan
- jelly roll pan
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoons
Ingredients
- 2 sticks salted butter
- 1 cup water
- 7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder I used Hershey’s Dark
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Icing
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons 2% milk
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder I used Hershey’s Dark
- 1 stick salted butter softened
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 13 x 17 1/2 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. You can also line with tin foil if you’d like.
- To prepare cake, place 2 sticks of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat to melt. Stir in water then whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Stir until mixture comes to a boil then remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Place flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Place buttermilk, eggs and vanilla into a small bowl, whisk then stir into flour mixture. Pour warm chocolate mixture into bowl, slowly. I do this in three phases, stirring in between each. Pour cake batter into jelly roll pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until baked through.
- Start preparing icing when there’s 5 minutes of bake time left on the sheet cake. Place milk and cocoa powder into a large saucepan over medium heat, whisking to combine. Stir in softened butter and bring mixture to a boil. When comes to a boil, turn off heat then slowly add powdered sugar whisking very well until icing is a nice consistency. Note, this icing sets up if left alone too long. Needs to be poured over cake as soon as its done. Pour icing over warm cake spreading evenly over sides. Let cake cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Note, using a plastic knife to cut squares helps cut without cake sticking.
Nutrition
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I’m making this today for a birthday poker party! I wonder what it would be like to substitute the cup of water with a cup of coffee, similar to a black magic cake? May try that next time!
Hi. Can I sub sour cream for the buttermilk and if so, how much sour cream should be used?
No, I wouldn’t recommend substituting anything for the buttermilk.
Hi Nancy! I just put my cake in the oven. I use 1 Tablespoon white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Mix together in a separate bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to marinate. Add eggs and vanilla, as per recipe and mix.
I always use the milk/vinegar mix when I don’t have buttermilk on hand. Works great!
Thanks for the feedback Susan.
I LOOOOVE this cake and have made it many times. However the last few times I made it the icing didn’t get hard. It was very runny. We even did it over a few times and it still didn’t work. However then what we do is poke holes in it and pour the icing over and then its like a POKE cake. It is still delish but I miss that icing. Any insight on why that might happen to me?
Thanks so much!
I haven’t had my icing not set before Misty, wonder if you could try adding a bit more powdered sugar next time to see if that helps?
The BEST chocolate sheet cake!!! This will always be my go to recipe. Everything about this cake is PERFECT!! THANK YOU!!
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the feedback Jessica.
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
can I use this recipe with a loaf pan?
No, I wouldn’t put the sheet cake into a loaf pan, it’s a delicate cake.
My great grandmother passed a similar recipe down. Only difference is to add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake and to the frosting (sometimes she’d add walnuts too). It’s always a hit!
Can I use a 17 x 11.5 pan? I don’t have a half sheet pan but want to make this tonight!!!
Hi Misty,
I used a smaller pan the first time I made it and couldn’t add all of the sheet cake batter. Just don’t fill it all of the way full to the top of the pan.
Would a standard cookie pan work?
Measure it, if it’s close to the size I have listed here it will work. If it’s smaller, just don’t pour all of the cake batter in, you want to leave room for the cake to rise.
I made this today for our weekly game night with my close friends. I did change your recipe and opted for the regular cocoa powder, wowee was it a hit. So much so everyone ask for a “take home” piece
Wish I could eat the picture