The Best Texas Sheet Cake (A Classic Family Favorite)
Texas Sheet Cake is a rich, thin chocolate cake that is unbelievably soft and moist, topped with a warm, fudgy chocolate icing and crunchy pecans. It practically melts in your mouth with every bite.
I’ve been making this recipe for over 50 years, and it truly is the best Texas Sheet Cake I have ever tasted. I first found it in a cookbook put together by the hospital staff where I worked as an RN. Since then, it has been my go-to recipe for family gatherings, potlucks, and covered dish dinners—and it always gets the sweetest compliments.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST TEXAS SHEET CAKE:
Assemble the ingredients:
CAKE:
butter
vegetable oil
cocoa powder
water
sugar
all-purpose flour
buttermilk
soda
eggs
vanilla
ICING:
butter
milk
cocoa powder
vanilla
confectioner sugar
pecans
How to Make Texas Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a large sheet pan (about 17×11 inches or jelly roll pan).
- In a large saucepan, combine butter, oil, cocoa powder, and water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Using a hand mixer, beat in the sugar and flour until combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, and vanilla. Add to the chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until set.
Make the Chocolate Icing
- While the cake is baking, combine butter, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Stir in the pecans.
- Pour the warm icing over the hot cake and spread evenly.
Let the cake cool completely before cutting.
Step by Step Photos
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.
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.
Why You’ll Love This Texas Sheet 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. It serves a large crowd.
- This cake is so much moister than other sheet cakes.
One day, I could not decide whether to make this Texas Sheet Cake or the Peanut Butter Sheet Cake, so I combined the 2.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake is the recipe for this delicious creation. Everyone loves it also.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Do not overmix the batter for this cake or it will lose some of the moistness.
- The recipe calls for nuts in the icing, but it is still delicious if you have to leave them out, or spread on half of the cake..
- Make sure to have all of the ingredients ready to go as the steps in this cake and the icing goes fast.
- The icing goes on the cake while it is still warm, and sets up fast.
- Leave out the pecans if you prefer a nut-free version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this cake be made in advance?
YES. After the cake and icing are cool, cover with Cling Wrap or aluminum foil. It can set on the counter for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
YEs. Store it in airtight containers and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. If I am doing a lot of holiday baking, I have even made this, cut it into squares, placed in airtight containers and froze the entire cake.
This post was shared on Sweet Little Bluebird Weekend Potluck.
This old-fashioned Texas Sheet Cake has stood the test of time in my kitchen, and I hope it becomes a favorite in yours too. It’s simple, dependable, and always made with love.
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.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter for this cake or it will lose some of the moistness.
- The recipe calls for nuts in the icing, but it is still delicious if you have to leave them out.
- Make sure to have all of the ingredients ready to go as the steps in this cake and the icing goes fast.
- The icing goes on the cake while it is still warm and sets up fast.
