texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake is a classic rich chocolate cake with a moist texture and luscious warm frosting poured over the top, perfect for serving a crowd and easy to make on the stovetop.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Frosting:
- 0.5 cup butter
- 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 0.33 cup milk
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped nuts (optional, use if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13x18 inch sheet pan with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder until evenly combined.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the vegetable oil, water, and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat immediately.
- Pour the hot cocoa mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir well to combine. The batter will be quite thin.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add to the cake batter and mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/3 cup milk. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth and begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 cup chopped nuts if using. Mix until smooth.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm frosting evenly over the top. Use a spatula to spread it out quickly before it sets. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Equipment
- 13x18 inch sheet pan
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
- Spatula
Notes
Use fresh cocoa powder for the most intense chocolate flavor. Don’t overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and moist. Pour the frosting warm to seep into the cake for ultimate fudginess. Check oven temperature and start checking cake doneness at 25 minutes. Let the cake cool completely to help the frosting set properly.