Texas Sheet Cake

The best chocolate cake recipe is also one of the easiest! Texas Sheet Cake is a rich, buttery chocolate cake, baked in a sheet pan or jelly roll pan, and covered with a thick layer of chocolate frosting.

This classic cake recipe is made entirely from scratch, and everyone loves it!

Have you tried Texas Sheet Cake before? If not, you are in for a spectacular treat!

This is one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve made. Rich and tender with so much chocolate flavor, and a decadent chocolate frosting, it’s a chocolate lover’s dream.

Toasted pecans in the frosting give this dessert the perfect bit of crunch!

If you love this idea of making an easy chocolate cake in a sheet pan, be sure to try my Coca-Cola Cake too. It’s made in a very similar way but with an extra special ingredient!

Old Fashioned Mayonnaise Cake is also a delicious chocolate cake option, made in a 13×9-inch pan.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. It’s a Favorite All Over – You don’t need to live in Texas to make a Texas Sheet Cake. In fact, I’m pretty sure the reason it’s named this way is more for its giant size than its actual geographic location.
2. A Unique Recipe – This cake recipe is a bit different from other scratch-made chocolate cakes you may have tried. The batter and the frosting are both made partially on the stove. This step melts the butter and blooms the cocoa powder to give this cake a big (Texas-sized!) chocolate flavor and a spectacular flavor.
3. Easy Instructions – Don’t stress about the process here. I promise that it’s nearly foolproof if you follow my easy Texas sheet cake recipe instructions here!

Texas Sheet Cake Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe, and some details about the key ingredients:

• Cocoa Powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder gives this cake all of it’s rich, chocolatey flavor.
• Butter: For this cake recipe, you don’t even need to soften the butter first! For both the cake batter and the frosting, the butter is melted with the cocoa powder on the stove.
• Eggs: I suggest that you let your eggs come to room temperature before mixing them into the cake batter. Since the batter is warm, it will be difficult to properly mix in cold eggs.
• Sour Cream: This makes Texas Sheet Cake moist and tender. You can also use the same amount of buttercream or plain yogurt to get the same effect.
• Pecans: Optional, but delicious! If you plan to add nuts to the frosting, chop them and toast them first.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

What Size Pan To Use for Texas Sheet Cake

I’ve tested this recipe using two different pans.

In the images here, I’m baking a Texas sheet cake in a jelly roll pan that is 15×10.5 inches and about 1-inch deep.

I’ve also tested the recipe using a rimmed baking sheet that is 18×13 inches. This is typically considered a half sheet pan and is the normal size of a standard baking sheet.

Both types of pans can be used to make this cake, and just about any rimmed baking sheet that is between those two measurements as well!

How To Make The Best Texas Sheet Cake

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a rimmed sheet pan or jelly roll pan and set it aside.

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl, and set aside.
2. Cook the Cocoa: In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa powder, and water. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil, whisk, and then remove from the heat.
3. Combine: Pour the hot chocolate/butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well with an electric hand mixer.
4. Finish the Cake Batter: Add the eggs and sour cream, and mix on low speed with the mixer until well combined. You should have a fairly thin, pourable cake batter.

5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make sure that it’s spread evenly and reached all corners. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Make the frosting while the cake is in the oven.

How to Frost a Texas Sheet Cake

1. Cook: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and milk over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is mostly smooth. It may look separated and weird, but it’s ok!
2. Add Sugar and Vanilla: Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and gradually stir in the sifted powdered sugar. If needed, use a whisk or hand mixture to get everything really smooth.
3. Stir in Nuts: Fold in the chopped nuts (if using) with a heatproof spatula.
4. Spread: Now quickly pour the frosting over the still warm cake, and spread it out with an offset spatula. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe Tips

• It’s important to sift the powdered sugar before mixing it into the frosting. If you don’t sift you’ll have a grainy, lumpy texture. Use your hand mixer to beat the frosting if you need to to get it smooth and silky.
• Work quickly to add the frosting to the cake so that you can spread it out before it starts to set.
• Nuts are optional, but they add a really lovely texture to this dessert. Finely chop the nuts and toast them before adding them, and feel free to try pecans, walnuts, or even hazelnuts.
• Serve it how you like it. Texas sheet cake is traditionally served warm or at room temperature, but I also like it chilled from the fridge!
• If you’re serving a crowd, you can make more than one sheet cake. You can also cut this cake into smaller servings if you need to.
• This recipe works in either a jelly roll pan or a rimmed baking sheet. The bake time will be slightly less for the larger and more shallow pan. I like to use a jelly roll pan for this recipe since it makes a cake with a bit more height.

Storing Tips

If this cake doesn’t get gobbled up right away, you can store leftovers at room temperature. Just keep the cake well-covered and airtight. It should be fine this way for 2-3 days.

You can store the cake in the refrigerator, but it tends to dry out a bit in the fridge.

What To Serve With Texas Sheet Cake

A fabulous chocolate cake like this one is welcome just about anywhere, but It’s perfect for large get-togethers like summer barbecues or holidays.

Try my amazing and easy BBQ Grilled Chicken Recipe and favorite sides like Dill Pickle Pasta Salad and Broccoli Cole Slaw for your next backyard party.

Recipe FAQs

More Easy Cake Recipes

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Mayonnaise Cake

Better Than Sex Cake

7Up Cake Recipe

All Cakes →

Everyone loves this chocolate Texas Sheet Cake! Make it to take to the next potluck you’re invited to, or serve it after dinner tonight. Pin the recipe so that you can easily find it later too.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 30 votes

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Texas Sheet Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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This simple and delicious Texas Sheet Cake recipe creates a rich, fudgy chocolate cake covered with a thick layer of chocolate frosting.

20 Servings

This simple and delicious Texas Sheet Cake recipe creates a rich, fudgy chocolate cake covered with a thick layer of chocolate frosting.

Equipment

• Jelly Roll Pan or a 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet
• Mixing Bowl
• Saucepan
• Electric mixer or a whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Flexible Spatula
• Offset spatula
• Fine mesh strainer for sifting

Ingredients 

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For the Cake:

• ▢ 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter
• ▢ ⅓ cup (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) water
• ▢ 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

• ▢ 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter
• ▢ ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) milk 2% or semi skimmed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 4 cups (480 g) sifted confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
• ▢ 1 cup (100 g) finely chopped and toasted pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts optional

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven. Grease a 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed sheet pan or a jelly roll pan that’s 15×10.5×1 inch (38×26.5×2.5 cm) with softened butter, or use a non-stick baking spray (if using spray, only spray right before adding the batter).
• In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and water. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil, whisk then remove from heat.
• Pour the hot butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well using an electric hand mixer.
• Add the eggs and sour cream to the mixture, and mix on low speed using an electric mixer until combined. The batter will be thin and easy to pour.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make sure that it’s spread evenly and reached all corners.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and milk over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. The butter will look separated and weird, but that’s ok because the sugar will bind everything together.
• Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and gradually stir in the sifted powdered sugar, use a whisk or beat with an electric hand mixer if necessary to ensure smoothness.
• Fold in the chopped nuts (if using) with a spatula, then quickly spread the warm frosting over the warm cake using an offset spatula.
• Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. The frosting will harden slightly. Cut the cake into squares and serve.

Notes:

• Adding the icing to a still-warm cake will allow the cake to absorb some of the moisture, and keep the cake tender and moist for days! Be sure not to let the cake cool too much before frosting it.
• It’s important to sift the powdered sugar before mixing it into the frosting. If you don’t sift you’ll have a grainy, lumpy texture. Use your hand mixer to beat the frosting if you need to to get it smooth and silky.
• Work quickly to add the frosting to the cake so that you can spread it out before it starts to set.
• Nuts are optional, but they add a really lovely texture to this dessert. Finely chop the nuts and toast them before adding them, and feel free to try pecans, walnuts, or even hazelnuts.
• Texas sheet cake is traditionally served warm or at room temperature, but I also like it chilled from the fridge!
• If you’re serving a crowd, you can make more than one sheet cake. You can also cut this cake into smaller servings if you need to.
• This recipe works in either a jelly roll pan or a rimmed baking sheet. The bake time will be slightly less for the larger and more shallow pan.
• Storing: You can store leftovers at room temperature. Just keep the cake well-covered and airtight. It should be fine this way for 2-3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 364kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 126mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 357IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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