Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake Say it: TEK-sus sheet kayk
Texas Sheet Cake is a thin, deeply chocolate cake baked in a large jelly roll pan and finished with a warm cocoa-pecan frosting poured on while the cake is still hot. It is a potluck and church-picnic staple across Texas and the American South, where it is cut into generous squares and served straight from the pan. The crumb is tender and moist, the frosting glossy and fudgy, and the pecans add a gentle crunch. Its appeal is simple: big chocolate flavor, one pan, and no fussy layering.
Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
Pronounced TEK-sus sheet kayk
- Serves
- 20
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Easy
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the pan
Cake
Frosting and topping
Method
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 15x10x1-inch (38x25x2.5 cm) jelly roll pan with the 1 tbsp (14 g) softened butter and set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Make a well in the center.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1 cup (226 g) butter, water, and 1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture just begins to bubble at the edges, then remove from the heat.
Pour the warm cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and thick. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, then add to the batter and whisk just until glossy and evenly combined; the batter will be thin.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the corners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
About 5 minutes before the cake is done, make the frosting: in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, 1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa, milk, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth, then remove from the heat.
Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla until the frosting is thick, glossy, and pourable; stir in the toasted pecans. Use immediately while warm.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm frosting over the hot cake and spread it gently to the edges with an offset spatula. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour, until the frosting is set.
Cut into 20 squares and serve from the pan.
Regional variants
A white Texas sheet cake replaces the cocoa with vanilla and almond extracts and uses a vanilla-pecan frosting; some cooks add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to the cake batter for a warmer spice note. Other modern versions add a pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate.
Cook's notes
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-process, because the baking soda needs its acidity to lift the cake.
- Toast the pecans and cool them before stirring into the frosting so they stay crisp.
- If the frosting thickens before the cake is ready, keep it warm over very low heat and stir gently; do not let it boil.
Serve with
Serve with vanilla ice cream, a glass of cold milk, or iced tea.
Make ahead and storage
The frosted cake keeps covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze unfrosted for up to 2 months.
