Mom’s Famous Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
My mother whipped up a Texas Sheet Cake for just about every 4th of July, Labor Day or summer BBQ that I can remember.
Texas Sheet Cake is a delicious, thin yet rich chocolate cake that marries deep chocolate with a hint of cinnamon that adds a warm and comforting taste to the overall flavor.
The baking process for Texas Sheet Cake is slightly different than traditional cakes. Instead of using a regular cake pan, this cake is baked on a sheet pan, which makes it flatter and thinner. The cake is then topped with a rich and creamy chocolate frosting, while the cake is still warm, that complements the cake’s flavor perfectly.
More often than not, I remember this cake with toasted walnuts or pecans sprinkled on top – pecans are my favorite. But, we also enjoy it with festive sprinkles as well.
This cake is perfect for events like potlucks and family gatherings. Because it is baked in such a large pan, it can feed many people, but its thinness means that you’ll still have a little room for other treats on the dessert potluck table. The recipe is incredibly easy to follow, fast to bake and put together and creates a consistently delicious dessert.
Ingredients (Cake)
Texas Sheet Cake
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 15–20 people 1x
Description
Texas Sheet Cake is a rich, tender chocolatey cake with a hint of warm cinnamon. This cake is so easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
FROSTING
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
- 4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa
- 6 TBSP whole milk
- 3.5 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 18×13″ rimmed baking sheet with parchment and spray with nonstick baking spray
CAKE
- Melt 1 cup of butter in a pan over medium low heat.
- Once melted, in the same pan, add 1 cup of water and 4TBSP of cocoa until just mixture just starts to boil. Transfer to the boil of a standing mixer.
- Add 2 cups of sugar and mix on medium for 20 seconds.
- Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and mix until incorporated.
- Add two eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and cinnamon and mix for 10 seconds on medium speed just until incorporated.
- Transfer with a spatula onto the prepared rimmed baking pan. Batter will be quite thin.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Because of its thinness, it bakes fast, so be sure to check it at 15 minutes with a cake tester or knife to ensure that it is baked through. Let it cool.
FROSTING:
Once the cake is in the oven, start preparing the frosting.
- Melt 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a clean small saucepan on medium low heat.
- Add 4 TBSP of unsweetened cocoa powder and 6 TBSP of milk to the saucepan and stir with a whisk just until it starts to come to a boil.
- Pour warm mixture into a clean standing mixer bowl. Add 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, I tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp cinnamon and mix until frosting comes together into a creamy cohesive texture.
Frost the cake while still warm with a large angled spatula. The frosting will melt into the cake and look smooth and glossy versus creamy when it is done. If you would like to add toasted nuts, sprinkles or mini chocolate chips, add them right at this point. As the frosting begins to set, toppings will no longer stick to the surface.
Let the cake cool until ready to serve and then pre-slice it for easy access and distribution.
Notes
- If you are making the cake the same day you will be serving it, it can be kept at room temperature until ready to serve.
- As I often make mine the day before, I like to cover mine in tin foil and keep it refrigerated overnight. You can also serve it straight from the refrigerator for a more fudge-like consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: American
Matriarch Muse
My mother, Santina Palmeri Lonergan, is my muse in areas far beyond her kitchen. She was a history teacher for 35 years, an avid volunteer in the community and a Jeopardy champion. She loved to travel, shop, laugh, and above all, spend time with her family and friends.
Her cooking style was eclectic and she loved swapping recipes with family and friends. Unlike her own mother, she had a fierce sweet tooth and loved to bake. When I was a kid, playdates at our house always involved baking – from homemade fortune cookies, to popcorn balls, to chocolate dipped pretzels and cupcakes with thick pink frosting. While I miss cooking beside her at the holidays, it is my heart’s delight to share some of her favorite recipes.
This is my son’s favorite and his request each year for his birthday! It’s easy to make and the perfect cake texture that I always strive for! The frosting makes this cake absolutely decadent!
I love it when I find a recipe that becomes one of our family traditions. Thank you Family Tree Foodie- can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thanks Erika! Having Texas Sheet Cake be your son’s bday cake fave is the best compliment ever!!!
One of my all-time favorites!
Amazing recipe! One of my favorites!