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Texas Sheet Cake is a classic Southern dessert that’s big on flavor and made to feed a crowd. The ultra moist chocolate cake is baked in a sheet pan, then topped with a warm, pecan fudgy chocolate frosting that sinks slightly into the cake. It creates the perfect melt-in-your-mouth bite.
For a soda twist to classic Texas sheet cake be sure and try Dr. Pepper Texas Sheet Cake.
Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Texas sheet cake is a moist chocolate sheet cake that is truly a chocolate lovers dream. It’s the perfect dessert for a crowd, family gatherings, potlucks, and parties because it makes a sheet pan worth of cake – which means there is lots to go around.
The warm cake immediately gets a warm chocolate frosting poured over the top of the cake, as the cake cools and sits, the frosting soaks into the cake and it is unbelievably delicious. You’re going to love this one! The crunchy pecans in the frosting is the cherry on top – be sure and make this one.
Simple Ingredients Needed
There are two different things to make for this chocolate sheet cake. You will mix up a simple chocolate cake batter – combining dry ingredients with wet ingredients – and then while it’s baking, make the simple warm chocolate frosting on the stove top.
Chocolate Cake Batter Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour : I use unbleached all-purpose flour for all my baking recipes.
- Granulated Sugar
- Baking Soda
- Salt : I prefer sea salt or kosher salt when baking.
- Water : For the best taste, make sure you are are using filtered or purified water either from a bottle, can, or purified water system. Some tap water from the faucet can have an odd taste to it, which could effect the final taste of the cake.
- Salted Butter
- Cocoa Powder
- Buttermilk
- Large Eggs : The recipe calls for the eggs to be ‘beaten’ which simply means cracking the eggs into a bowl and using a fork to whisk them quickly, before adding them into the saucepan with the other ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract
Warm Chocolate Frosting Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- Milk : A higher fat percentage milk is best to use, such as whole milk or half and half.
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar : I always recommend sifting powdered sugar especially when it’s going into a warm frosting. Otherwise you may end up with little lumps of frosting that won’t full mix into the chocolate frosting. I use a fine mesh strainer to sift powdered sugar or you can use a sifter.
- Chopped Pecans : Leave the pecans chopped roughly into larger pieces or chop them into smaller pieces; whichever you prefer is fine.
- Vanilla Extract
How To Make Texas Sheet Cake With Warm Pecan Chocolate Icing (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 13″ x 18″ rimmed half sheet pan (also called a ‘cookie sheet’) with softened butter or shortening. Set aside.
In a large bowl (a heat-proof glass bowl), whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for now.
In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine the butter, water, and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling, remove from the heat and immediately pour it into the bowl of dry ingredients.
Stir in the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until combined.
Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
While the cake is baking prepare the chocolate frosting – please note that you pour the chocolate frosting over the hot cake, so have it ready to go once the cake is done baking.
In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, add the butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the powdered sugar (sifted is preferred) until smooth and well combined.
Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract.
Immediately pour the warm chocolate frosting evenly over top of the hot cake, and spread it out with a spatula as necessary. Let the cake sit at room temperature until it has cooled (about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Serve slightly warmed or at room temperature.
How To Store Leftover Texas Sheet Cake
Texas sheet cake should be stored covered, at room temperature, for up to 2-3 days. You can keep the cake inside the sheet pan or remove individual slices to an airtight container for storage.
To freeze leftover cake, wrap each square of cake in plastic wrap and then wrap again in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped bars inside a freeze safe container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature before eating.
What Are Some Substitutions I Can Make?
- All-Purpose Flour : For a gluten-free Texas Sheet Cake you can use 1:1 GF flour (Bob’s Red Mills makes a really good one). If using, make sure to add an extra egg to the batter.
- Salted Butter : If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the cake batter and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the icing. I like using sea salt when I bake cakes, cookies, or muffins.
- Cocoa Powder : This comes in regular unsweetened cocoa powder and unsweetened dark cocoa powder. Choose whichever one you prefer; the most common is regular cocoa powder which is what I use.
- Chopped Pecans : Walnuts make a good alternative, however, if you have a nut allergy, you can omit them altogether and it will still be good. You can also use toasted pecans for a different flavor.
- Milk : The higher fat milk is best to use like whole milk or half and half. But you could use whatever milk you have on hand such as 1%, lactose-free, even heavy cream would work. Almond milk and coconut milk can be used, however, please note that it could slightly effect the taste of the cake.
Tips For Success
- Eat Texas Sheet Cake as is or serve each slice with a scoop of ice cream for the perfect dessert; chocolate ice cream, chocolate chip ice cream, vanilla ice cream are all great choices.
- Make sure to have the warm chocolate icing ready to go at the end of the baking time. The warm frosting gets poured over the warm cake immediately after coming out of the oven. I don’t recommend making the icing too far in advance as it will cool and thicken quickly.
- This cake is so yummy eaten slightly warm with a gooey, soft frosting. Or you can let it cool to room temperature, which will set and slightly harden the frosting, before serving. Either way is delicious.
Texas Sheet Cake Recipe FAQs
What Is a Half-Sheet Pan?
A half sheet pan, which is what this recipe calls for, is a pan the measures 13″x18″ and it’s the standard size for a home baking sheet. It’s also known as a ‘cookie sheet’ to most home bakers. A typical cookie sheet and a half-sheet pan are the same thing. Make sure you are using a rimmed half sheet pan. I love this USA Bakeware Half Sheet Pan.
Can I Use A Different Size Baking Pan?
You could make this recipe in a 9×13 cake pan or a 10×15 jelly roll pan but it will be very thick, which is not typical for a sheet cake. In doing so, your cake will be thicker and no longer have a thin sheet-like quality. You will also need to increase your baking time to about 35-40 minutes.
What Is A Sheet Cake?
A sheet cake is typically a large, one layer cake baked in a rectangular sheet pan of various sizes (depending on the recipe), and it’s often frosted in the pan itself. A sheet cake can refer to any size pan such as a jelly roll pan which is a 10×15 pan, a 9×13 pan, or a half sheet pan, or a large full-size sheet pan.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Icebox Cake
- Caramel Chocolate Dump Cake
- Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake
- German Chocolate Poke Cake
- Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
- Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake
- Hostess Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (I use fine sea salt)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Warm Chocolate Pecan Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1/2 cup milk (I use whole milk or half and half)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted is preferred)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Grease a 13" x 18" rimmed half sheet pan (also called a 'cookie sheet') with softened butter or shortening. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (a heat-proof glass bowl), whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for now.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine the butter, water, and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling, remove from the heat and immediately pour it into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together, with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until combined.1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- Stir in the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until combined.2 large eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- ***While the cake is baking prepare the chocolate frosting – please note that you pour the chocolate frosting over the hot cake, so have it ready to go once the cake is done baking.
- In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, add the butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the powdered sugar (sifted is preferred) until smooth and well combined.1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 3 cups powdered sugar
- Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract.1 cup chopped pecans, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Immediately pour the warm chocolate frosting evenly over top of the hot cake, and spread it out with a spatula as necessary. Let the cake sit at room temperature until it has cooled (about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Serve slightly warmed or at room temperature.
Notes
- All-Purpose Flour : For a gluten-free Texas Sheet Cake you can use 1:1 GF flour (Bob’s Red Mills makes a really good one). If using, make sure to add an extra egg to the batter.
- Salted Butter : If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the cake batter and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the icing. I like using sea salt when I bake cakes, cookies, or muffins.
- Cocoa Powder : This comes in regular unsweetened cocoa powder and unsweetened dark cocoa powder. Choose whichever one you prefer; the most common is regular cocoa powder which is what I use.
- Chopped Pecans : Walnuts make a good alternative, however, if you have a nut allergy, you can omit them altogether and it will still be good. You can also use toasted pecans for a different flavor.
- Milk : The higher fat milk is best to use like whole milk or half and half. But you could use whatever milk you have on hand such as 1%, lactose-free, even heavy cream would work. Almond milk and coconut milk can be used, however, please note that it could slightly effect the taste of the cake
- Eat Texas Sheet Cake as is or serve each slice with a scoop of ice cream for the perfect dessert; chocolate ice cream, chocolate chip ice cream, vanilla ice cream are all great choices.
- Make sure to have the warm chocolate icing ready to go at the end of the baking time. The warm frosting gets poured over the warm cake immediately after coming out of the oven. I don’t recommend making the icing too far in advance as it will cool and thicken quickly.
- This cake is so yummy eaten slightly warm with a gooey, soft frosting. Or you can let it cool to room temperature, which will set and slightly harden the frosting, before serving. Either way is delicious.
Nutrition
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