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I love cake – moist layers with frosting in between and on top – how could that not be good?! Layer cakes are beautiful and fun, but sometimes they just aren’t practical. Large potlucks, family gatherings, picnics, or feeding a child’s teammates call for a quicker cake that can serve a lot but be just as delicious (or what I call a basic go-to cake). For me, this is the Texas sheet cake I grew up with. Mom would make this when we had a church potluck and my mouth would be drooling as I could hardly wait for the potluck to come! This is simple and practical, but something your family will want time and again!
Frosting the cake while it’s hot creates that fudgy layer between the cake and frosting that is so iconic in Texas sheet cakes!
More Cake Recipes
- Chocolate frosting
- No-bake s’mores cake
- Brown butter banana cake
- Sticky date pecan cake
- Oatmeal cake with caramelized frosting
- No-bake icebox cookie cake
- Classic carrot cake
Watch how to make this chocolate Texas sheet cake:
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Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the sheet cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate frosting
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 6 tbsp whole milk
- 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10 x 14-inch pan (jelly-roll-size) and set aside.
- Make the cocoa mixture: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add water and cocoa and bring to a boil. Set aside.16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 cup water
- Mix the cake batter: Add the sugar, flour, and salt into a large bowl. Pour the hot butter, water, and cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well to incorporate. Add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla extract and mix. Pour into the prepared pan.2 cups granulated sugar, 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp kosher salt, ½ cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting: In a small saucepan, melt butter with milk and cocoa and bring to a boil. Pour into a large bowl and add vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix slowly to incorporate sugar, then on high to achieve a smooth frosting.6 tbsp whole milk, 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar, 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
- Frost: After the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, pour the frosting over the top and spread evenly.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
I finally made this delicious cake for myself for my birthday! My family loved it too, such moist chocolate flavor. We can’t decide if we like it better room temp or cold straight out of the refrigerator! Bought a jelly roll pan and the cake came out perfect. Thanks again!
First received this as an untitled recipe in 1974, always good, served it many times. Serving a club group picnic, but need to transport so baked this in 10X14 pan so frosting isn’t disturbed. Came out of oven perfectly with a few minutes extra time. Made full batch frosting but only used 1/2 or less which will be best for this group of thin friends always watching their sweets. I’ve collected several flavors of sheet cake from-scratch recipes that includes this, white, golden, silver, strawberry, and lemon so far.
Can’t wait to make your recipe, will be my first Texas sheet cake! Would you mind sharing your jelly roll pan dimensions? I’m afraid my half sheet pan will be too large at 17.6 x 13, but I may have an old pan of my mom’s that will work. Thank you, dear Kaleb!
Hello! I used a traditional Jelly Roll size of 15.5″ x 10.5″, I do think a half sheet would be slightly too large resulting in a flatter cake.
Kaleb, I love your videos! Watching them makes me want to bake. You make everything seems so easy and relaxing:)
Thanks so much Willow!