TEXAS SHEET CAKE ….a large, thinner chocolate sheet cake, melts in your mouth soft, then topped with a warm chocolate icing with pecans.
Sharing this recipe because it truly is the best Texas Sheet Cake recipe that I have ever eaten. About 50 years ago, when I was working as an RN in our local hospital, the staff created a cookbook, and this recipe was in there. It is the only one I ever make, and always get the best compliments.
The Best Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ICING:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 6 Tablespoons milk
- 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 (1 lb) box confectioner sugar, about 3 1/2 cups
- 1 cup chopped nuts (I use honey roasted pecans) OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Spray a jelly roll pan (I use an 11x17 inch stoneware pan) with no stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the butter in a large saucepan, turn on low heat. As butter starts to melt, whisk in the oil, cocoa, and water. Bring to a boil, over a medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat. Using a hand mixer, beat in the sugar and flour. Whisk together the buttermilk, soda, eggs, and vanilla. Beat into batter mixture, adding small amounts at a time. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake about 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center, comes out clean.
- While cake is baking, prepare the icing, the last few minutes.
- Place butter in a large saucepan, over medium heat, allow it to start melting. Whisk in the milk, cocoa, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
- Beat in confectioner sugar, gradually. Stir in the nuts. Icing should be thin enough to spread over hot cake. If it seems too thin, add a little more confectioner sugar. If too thick, add small amounts of milk.
- Spread icing over the hot cake when it is removed from the oven. Allow to cool at room temperature until icing is hardened and cake is cool.
- Cut into 36 squares. Place on serving platter.
HOW TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Assemble the ingredients:
In a large saucepan, combine the butter, oil, cocoa, and water, bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat, and using a hand mixer, beat in the sugar and flour.
Stir together the buttermilk, soda, eggs, and vanilla, add to the cake mixture. Beat until combined.
Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake @ 350 degrees around 20 minutes. I use a 17 x 11 inch Pampered Chef stoneware baking pan. You can also use a jelly roll size pan.
While cake is baking, prepare the icing.
Ingredients
Place the butter, vanilla, cocoa, and milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and beat in the confectioner sugar. Stir in the pecans.
Spread the icing over the cake while it is hot. Allow cake to cool completely before cutting.
Some of the children in my family, don’t like nuts, so I normally only put them on half of the cake.
This is the best Texas Sheet Cake for several reasons. The rich chocolate flavor, the light and soft texture, and the little tang from the buttermilk make it our family favorite.
Since this cake is made in a large sheet cake pan, it is perfect to serve at any covered dish dinner.
One day, I could not decide whether to make this Texas Sheet Cake or the Peanut Butter Sheet Cake, so I combined the 2.
HERE is the recipe for this delicious creation. Everyone loves it too.
