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The BEST Texas Sheet Cake
Why is it called Texas Sheet Cake?
It's not known why chocolate sheet cake is often referred to as “Texas sheet cake.” I like to think it's because it's a cake the size of Texas. 🙂
This chocolate cake recipe is made in a sheet cake pan, which is where it gets the name, “sheet cake.” A sheet cake is any cake that is made in a large rectangular pan known as a sheet pan or jelly roll pan.
What size pan to make sheet cake:
Texas sheet cake recipes usually bake in a baker's half-sheet pan that's 18×13” inch. I prefer this type of pan because it results in a thinner cake with a thin layer of chocolate frosting, and it's perfect for feeding a crowd.
You can bake Texas sheet cake in a 9×13” pan, but increase the baking time to about 30-35 minutes.
What's the difference between Sheet Cake and Regular Cake?
The primary difference between sheet cake and regular cake is the size of the cake pan. Sheet cake is made in a sheet cake pan which is a shallow, large pan. Regular cake is usually made in a 9×13 baking dish or, for a double layer cake, it's made in two 8-9” round pans.
How to make Texas Sheet Cake:
- Add to saucepan: water, butter, and cocoa powder and bring mixture to a boil.
- In a bowl: mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl: mix together the sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Add sour cream/egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Combine the batter. Once the chocolate mixture in the saucepan in boiling, remove it from heat and pour it into the batter. Mix until combined and no lumps remain.
- Pour into sheet pan. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth with a spatula to make sure it is dispersed in an even layer.
- Bake. at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until set (mine is usually done around 15 minutes).
How to make Sheet Cake Frosting:
- In a saucepan: Add milk, cocoa and butter; bring mixture to a boil.
- Stir in: powdered sugar. I like to beat the mixture with my hand-held mixer to get rid of any lumps.
- Pour over cake. Pour the hot mixture right over the hot cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cake. Allow frosting to set for about 10 minutes before eating.
Do you need to refrigerate Texas Sheet Cake?
You don't have to, but it will last better and longer if stored, covered, in the refrigerator. If you live somewhere warm and humid, it's especially best to store it in the fridge.
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The BEST Texas Sheet Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, (240 ml)
- 1 cup butter, (227 g)
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, (22.5 g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, (240 g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar, (400 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda, (5 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, (2.5 g)
- 1/2 cup sour cream, (120 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (5 ml)
For the Frosting
- 6 Tablespoons milk, (90 ml)
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, (22.5 g)
- 1/2 cup butter, (115 g)
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, (450 g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 18x13'' pan.
- Add water butter cocoa powder to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix together the flour, sugar baking soda and salt.
- In another small bowl mix together the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
- Add sour cream/egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Once the chocolate mixture in the saucepan in boiling, remove it from heat and pour it into the batter. Mix until combined and no lumps remain.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth with a spatula to make sure it is dispersed in an even layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until set (mine is usually done around 15 minutes).
- When the cake is about half-way through cooking, prepare the frosting.
For the Chocolate Sheet Cake Frosting
- Add milk, cocoa and butter to a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, remove it from the heat and stir in powdered sugar. I like to beat the mixture with my hand-held mixer to get rid of any lumps.
- Pour hot icing over hot cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly over the cake. Allow frosting to set for about 10 minutes before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this recipe September 2011. Updated May 2019.
No lie, best sheet cake ever!
This cake is amazing! My husband said it is the best cake ever! I took this to our family’s Thanksgiving dinner and everyone who tried it loved it! This will be a go to recipe when I need to take a dessert somewhere. My mom used to make this when I was young and I didn’t have her recipe so when I saw all the great reviews on this recipe I knew it was the one to try. I just made a second one to take to another dinner tomorrow! My mom will be there and I can’t wait for her to try it. She told me the story of how when she was young and stayed all night with her friend Margaret her mother would make a Texas Sheet Cake and she couldn’t more than get it out of the over before they were begging for a piece. I hope this brings back many great memories for her like it did me. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
This recipe is the same as what my mom gave me. This was the birthday cake she made me every year. Until 1 year I got her recipe and a Texas sheet pan for my birthday. Lol
Never even heard of a Texas sheet cake until I saw this recipe on Instagram. Wow ! What a simple cake but it is just so so so so good. The cake… the frosting… I’ve never liked such a simple chocolate cake before. SO good ! Making it again after just a few days 🙂
This is the go-to recipe I use for Texas Sheet Cake! I’ve made a few and this one with sour cream is just the BEST! We are gluten free and I have had absolutely no trouble substituting a gf all-purpose flour and keeping the rest of the recipe the same. I’ve used walmart brand gf flour, krusteaz, king arthur, and a homemade better batter knockoff flour and all of them have worked just fine! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you for this GF comment! 🙂
Generally a good recipe, but I was disappointed with the icing. It ended up being too thick and difficult to spread. It would have been better to suggest adding more milk as necessary.
You have to put the hot icing right out of the pan onto the hot cake right out of the oven or it will thicken, fairly quickly.
Cake very nice, could be better if ingredients were in grams or pounds. Must get a conversion chart
Very easy cake to make (less than 35 minutes)…..Very delicious also. I have made this twice in the last 10 days.
I just finished baking the Best Texas Sheet Cake, and I found it to be a little more difficult to make than what I anticipated. I mixed and mixed the cake ingredients, but could never get the lumps out. Then when I made the icing, the same thing happened. The butter was completely melted, as well as the ingredients mixed well. I don’t know what I did wrong. As for the taste, it was really good, just not the consistency I was expecting. But coconut is my favorite, so I am anxious to try the coconut cake with pineapple!
Delicious, had someone from work make this and bring it in. 🙂
This is so easy and tastes like you spent all day. Love it❣️❤️❤️❤️
My go to chocolate cake.,, With some vanilla bean ice cream., Omg heaven!
Where have you been my entire life Lauren. I made an amendment to your recipe by replacing 1c of flour with almond flour, and I used a little less sugar. It came out PERFECT and I’m able to feed my 2 year old cake with some almonds. Side note, it takes me back to the chocolate cake I used to have when I was in school and have fond memories of.
Would you ever consider trying to make this gluten free, or have any suggestions on how to do it?
I have had this cake before that someone at work made and OMG!! Is this something you can cut in half, as I do not want or need that big of a cake.. if anyone knows, please let me know.. thank you
This is probably too late to help you but I cut it in half last night and it came out perfectly. Absolutely wonderful cake.
Elyse. Thank you for posting about the cutting in half. I wanted a smaller version of this cake and saw your post. I, too, used 1/2 of all the ingredients (except the sugar, which I subtracted a half cup from the recipe as written, and then divided that in half). I baked it in a 9″ x 7″ glass dish for 30 minutes and it was ready for the frosting, also using 1/2 of the milk, chocolate, butter and 1 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar. It was as delicious as the first time I baked this cake following the recipe as written and baking it in a Texas sized sheet pan. 🙂
I freeze half of the cake, it freezes well 🙂
It is delicious!!!