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This recipe for Texas Sheet Cake delivers a rich chocolate cake with a gloriously thick frosting! And with 24 generous servings, this classic southern recipe is the ultimate dessert for a crowd.
This Texas sheet cake is straight from my Great-Grandma's recipe box. And just like her recipes for Hot Milk Cake, Lemon Bread, Saltine Toffee, and Sour Cream Banana Cake, you can count on this recipe to deliver amazing results every time!
Kristen's Keys for Texas Sheet Cake
My great-grandma taught me a few tricks that help to ensure the very best results. Keep these in mind before preparing (and serving) this rich chocolate cake.
- Use unsweetened natural or Dutch process cocoa powder. Using sweetened cocoa or hot cocoa powder will make the cake way too sweet.
- Sour Cream is Key. It keeps the cake moist and balances out the sweetness.
- Chill Before Serving. I STRONGLY encourage you to prepare Texas Sheet Cake 12 hours in advance. This allows time for the chocolate frosting to seep into the cake and intensifies the flavor.
- Use a Deep Half-Sheet Pan. This provides plenty of room for the rich chocolate frosting to to be poured over the cake.
- You can omit the nuts. The cake (and frosting) will still be delicious!
How to Make Texas Sheet Cake
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mix Dry Ingredients Together. In a large bowl sift or whisk together the flour with the salt and baking soda until well combined and set aside.
- Melt Butter With Cocoa Powder. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the cocoa powder and water. Add the water and bring the mixture a boil and let boil briefly. This will create a rich chocolate sauce and ensures the cocoa powder is fully dissolved.
- Combine Cake Batter. Add the chocolate mixture to the flour, stirring together, which will slightly cool the cocoa mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla and sour cream together and then fold into the cake batter until evenly combined.
- Bake Cake. Pour the cake batter into a greased deep half-sheet pan and bake until the cake is just set. This is a quick-cooking cake and you don't want to risk overbaking it! Begin checking on it after 14 minutes.
- Prepare the Frosting. While the cake is in the oven, use that time to make the rich, fudgy cocoa frosting (it really does taste like chocolate fudge!), by dissolving the cocoa powder into melted butter, then stirring in powdered sugar and nuts until the desired consistency has been reached.
- Frost the Cake. You want to immediately ice/frost the sheet cake after the cake has been baked. This will allow the warm chocolate cake to absorb some of the rich frosting--further enhancing the overall flavor.
Notes on Yield & Serving
As written this cake serves 24 people. That said, it is easy to but in half AND stores well if you happen to have leftovers.
- Half the Recipe if NOT Serving a Crowd. Cut the ingredients in half and prepare the cake in a 9×13 cake pan or quarter sheet pan. The baking time will remain similar.
- Storage: You can safely store Texas Sheet Cake covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, I recommend covering and refrigerating the cake for up to 4 additional days.
- Freezing Option: Wrap cooled, sliced slices of the cake in a layer of plastic wrap or foil and place each piece into a freezer-safe storage bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature or in the refrigerator before enjoying.
More Favorite Desserts for a Crowd
Texas Sheet Cake
Featuring a moist chocolate sheet cake topped with a rich, fudgy frosting, this Texas Sheet Cake recipe is perfect for a crowd!
Video
Ingredients
For the Sheet Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks)
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Icing
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (1 stick)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃ . Grease and flour a 18x13-inch half sheet pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon table salt.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 1 cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, stirring to combine. Add 1 cup water, bring the mixture to a boil and and allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds; turn off the heat. Let cool slightly.
- Pour the cocoa mixture over the flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together 2 large eggs, ½ cup full-fat sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until the batter is evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to spread the batter out if needed.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don't overbake! The cake should just be set.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. In a large saucepan, melt ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 6 tablespoons whole milk and 5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, whisking to combine. Bring the mixture to a bubble, whisking constantly in order to dissolve the cocoa powder into the butter and milk. Remove this mixture from the heat.
- Whisk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the cocoa mixture. Then stir 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until dissolved. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if using.
- Pour the icing over the warm cake, spreading as needed.
- I find it is best to allow the cake to cool fully, cover and refrigerate overnight before enjoying for the best flavor.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition is based on using pecans.
Storage: You can safely store Texas Sheet Cake covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, I recommend storing the cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Wrap cooled, sliced slices of the cake in a layer of plastic wrap or foil and place each piece into a freezer-safe storage bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature or in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Gluten-Free Texas Sheet Cake: I have had success using a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in place of the flour in this cake recipe.
Halving the Recipe: If you aren't serving a crowd, you can prepare this cake in a 9x13 cake pan or quarter sheet pan. The baking time should remain similar.
Nutrition
Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 106mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 411IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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If you add 1 tsp cinnamon to the dry ingredients it will make it so much better. I have done it that way ever since I started making this cake, good!
Thanks for sharing!
This is by far my favorite cake!! It's so gooey & chocolate-y & everyone loves it!! I make it all the time!
I LOVE hearing you have been enjoying this cake so much lately! And thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
This cake was everything that I wanted it to be and more! thank you so mcuh for sharing this amazing recipe!
And thank you for taking the time to leave a review--I love hearing you enjoy this recipe 🙂
My husband loved this cake! He's now asking for this to be his birthday cake! Thanks for sharing the recipe, it's so easy to make.
Now that is a compliment! Thank you for sharing. And happy early birthday to your husband.
This cake was literally the best thing ever and all my friends thought so as well! thank you so much for sharing this recipe
I love hearing you and your friends enjoyed, Jess! Thanks for sharing.