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Dr. Pepper Texas Sheet Cake is a rich chocolate cake made with Dr. Pepper soda. A moist chocolate cake made with cocoa powder and topped with a fudge frosting with pecans! This is a delicious twist to classic Texas sheet cake. 

A overhead picture of a pan with chocolate cake inside topped with frosting and pecans. Cut into squares inside the pan.

Dr. Pepper Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

If you love chocolate + cake + Dr. Pepper then this recipe is a must-make! A rich chocolate cake made with cocoa powder, butter, buttermilk, Dr. Pepper soda, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves and it bakes up in a 9×13 baking pan so it’s perfect for a family dessert. 

The best part is the fudge chocolate frosting that gets poured over the warm cake! The frosting is loaded with chunks of pecans for a nice sweet & salty crunch. 

A serving spatula with a piece of cake on it over the pan of cake and bottles of dr. pepper soda in the background.

Ingredients Needed

Here are the ingredients that you will need to make this Dr. Pepper chocolate cake. I also share some tips so that you can have success recreating this recipe in your own kitchen. The list may look long, but most of the ingredients are pantry staple baking supplies that you probably already have on hand. 

  • Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

    • All-Purpose Flour – I prefer using unbleached flour when I bake. 
    • Granulated Sugar
    • Baking Soda
    • Salt – Kosher salt, sea salt, or regular iodized table salt are all great options.
    • Ground Cinnamon
    • Ground Cloves – A warm spice that adds tons of warm, rich flavor. 
    • Butter – I always use salted butter when baking but unsalted butter can be used just as well. 
    • Cocoa Powder – No melting special, expensive chocolate for this recipe. Cocoa powder makes it so easy to make a rich chocolate cake base. 
    • Dr. Pepper – Make sure that this is room temperature before using. No need to refrigerate it before making the recipe. 
    • Large Eggs
    • Buttermilk – The “secret” baking ingredients for soft and moist cakes is buttermilk. Milk can be used just as well, but the buttermilk really provides tons of moisture and soft texture for the cake. 
  • Chocolate Fudge Pecan Glaze

    • Powdered Sugar
    • Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder is what you need here. Same as what you use in the cake recipe. 
    • Butter – I prefer using salted butter but unsalted butter can be used instead.
    • Dr. Pepper
    • Whole Milk – It’s best to use whole milk for the higher fat percentage as it provides a creamy texture. I don’t recommend substituting with a lower-fat milk. But if you must, 2% would be the lowest I would recommend. 
    • Chopped Pecans – Don’t skip this! Unless of course you are allergic, then please do 😉 The pecans add such a great salty crunch, and tons of texture, to the soft cake. 

Ingredients on a white background of what you need to make this Texas sheet cake recipe.

How To Make a Texas Sheet Cake with Dr. Pepper

Learn how to make this recipe with the steps below. Be sure and read to the bottom of the post where there is a printable recipe card, a pin it button so you can save it to Pinterest, and a detailed recipe card with all the ingredients and instructions to make it. 

  • Preparation : Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. 
  • Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake : Whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake in a large mixing bowl. In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the cocoa powder and Dr. Pepper and whisk until combined and smooth. Heat until the mixture just starts to boil, remove from heat. Pour it into the dry ingredients, along with the eggs and buttermilk, and whisk until combined well. Use a whisk to mix it or a wooden spoon, or silicone spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. 
  • Chocolate Pecan Fudge Frosting : While the cake is baking make the glaze. In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted butter, and Dr. Pepper soda, and milk. Stir everything together with a spatula or wooden spoon until mixed well. Stir in the pecans. 
  • Cake : Pour the glaze over the warm cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature. I like to let the cake sit and cool down for about 1 hour before serving it. That way it’s still slightly warm but the frosting has had some time to set. 

How to make a Texas sheet cake with Dr. pepper soda with step by step instructions with pictures.

How to make a Texas sheet cake with Dr. pepper soda with step by step instructions with pictures.

How to make a Texas sheet cake with Dr. pepper soda with step by step instructions with pictures.

How to make a Texas sheet cake with Dr. pepper soda with step by step instructions with pictures.

How to make a Texas sheet cake with Dr. pepper soda with step by step instructions with pictures.

How to make a Texas sheet cake with Dr. pepper soda with step by step instructions with pictures.

Tips For Success

Here are a few of my helpful tips so that you can have success making this recipe for your own family. 

  • Use Dr. Pepper : I know there are other brands out there, like generic store brands or Mr. Pibb, but I highly recommend using Dr. Pepper in this recipe. I think the flavor is much better! Adding the Dr. Pepper gives the cake and glaze a richer flavor.
  • Buttermilk : If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use whole milk instead, but I recommend using buttermilk. If you want to make your own, measure out 1/2 cup of whole milk and add 1.5 teaspoons of white vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes to sour before using it in the recipe. 
  • Cake : I like to make a note that this Texas Sheet Cake is supposed to have a denser texture to it, and the cake won’t rise up tall like a traditional chocolate cake does. This is all normal and part of the classic Texas Sheet Cake. 
  • Pour Glaze Over Warm Cake : Prepare the glaze while the cake is baking so that you can immediately pour it over the warm cake when it comes out of the oven. 
  • Toothpick Test : Be cause you are pouring a glaze over it, you want to make sure that it is fully cooked before pulling the cake out of the oven. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come out dry, or with moist crumbs, and if it comes out with wet batter then you need to leave the cake in there longer. 

A slice of cake on a white plate with a fork next to it.

Do I Serve Texas Sheet Cake Warm or at Room Temperature?

You can serve this Texas sheet cake warm or at room temperature. Both ways are fabulous. I prefer serving it at almost room temperature, about 1-2 hours after I make it. This allows time for the cake to cool slightly and most importantly, it allows time for the fudge glaze to set. 

But eating this cake warm is so delicious as well. The warm, moist chocolate cake and the fudge glaze just melts in your mouth. If you want to be able to cut the cake into nice slices, then you probably want to let it set for a bit before cutting. 

How To Store Leftovers of a Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Store any leftovers, at room temperature, in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. 

You can also store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. 

Can I Freeze Texas Sheet Cake?

Yes you can freeze this cake once it’s already baked. Make it according to the instructions and let it come to room temperature. Double wrap the pan in tin foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the cake thaw before serving. 

If I am freezing this recipe, I use a disposable aluminum pan when making it. 

Close up shot of a cake with a chocolate glaze on top with pecans.

Overhead shot of a pan with cake inside of it and a teal cloth to the side with pecans.

More Chocolate Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

A overhead picture of a pan with chocolate cake inside topped with frosting and pecans. Cut into squares inside the pan.
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Dr. Pepper Texas Sheet Cake


Author Jessica - Together as Family
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 15
Dr. Pepper Texas Sheet Cake is a rich chocolate cake made with Dr. Pepper soda. A moist chocolate cake made with cocoa powder and topped with a fudge frosting with pecans! This is a delicious twist to classic Texas sheet cake. 

Ingredients
  

Dr. Pepper Texas Sheet Cake

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup Dr. Pepper room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Chocolate Pecan Fudge Glaze

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup Dr. Pepper
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • First, make the cake. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the cocoa powder and Dr. Pepper, and whisk until combined. Heat until the mixture just starts to boil, then remove from heat.
  • Pour the Dr. Pepper mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, along with the eggs and buttermilk. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to mix together just until combined.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
    * Texas Sheet Cake is a naturally flatter, and dense cake so it won't rise like a traditional cake will.
  • While the cake is baking, make the chocolate pecan glaze.
    In a medium mixing bowl, add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted butter, Dr. Pepper, and milk. Stir everything together with a spatula or wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.
  • Immediately pour the glaze over the cake when it comes out of the oven. Use a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly. Serve warm or let the cake set for 1-2 hours before serving.
    * The cake is much easier to cut once it has set at room temperature, and cooled a bit, before cutting & serving.

Notes

Butter : If using salted butter (which is fine) omit the extra 1/4 teaspoon salt from the cake recipe. For the glaze, you can use salted or unsalted, whichever you prefer. 
Dr. Pepper : I recommend using name brand Dr. Pepper instead of the generic brand or something like Pr. Pibb. Make sure it's at room temperature. No need to refrigerate it. 
Buttermilk : I recommend using real buttermilk, but if needed, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. Measure out 1/2 cup of whole milk and add 1.5 teaspoons of white vinegar into it. Let it sit for a few minutes to sour before using it in the recipe. 

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 551IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

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4.67 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Easy and delicious cake. It was a little strong on the ground cloves for me so we’ll probably cut that next time to 1/4 or so but overall, wouldn’t change anything. Might try adding coconut or something to the frosting too. Who knows.

    1. Together as Family says:

      Thank you for your comment! I hope you love it even more the next time you make it!

  2. 4 stars
    The cake was very moist and good but the icing came out grainy. Not sure how to prevent that.

    1. Together as Family says:

      I’m glad you liked the cake, sorry about the frosting! I would suggest next time try sifting the powdered sugar and if it still grainy once mixed, mix it a couple extra minutes to see if that helps smooth the texture.

  3. I’m assuming the answer is no, but I’m wondering whether you could make this cake as a traditional layer cake rather than a sheet cake.

    1. Together as Family says:

      I’ve never tried it, but I can’t think of any big reason why it wouldn’t be possible. There are a lot of different websites that give directions about how to use a sheet cake to make a layered cake. Good luck!

    2. I just made the cake in a regular cake pan. turned out just fine.

  4. 5 stars
    Looks great! Instead of nuts, can you use Rice Krispie? How much would you recommend? Thank you

    1. Together as Family says:

      I’ve never tried rice krispie but it’s worth a shot! My only concern is that they would get soggy in the frosting. I would do the same amount as the nuts. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!