Extra moist, richly chocolatey, smothered with a glossy fudge frosting, this Texas Sheet Cake recipe takes the classic you know and love and amps it up a notch. I’ve tweaked this recipe to absolute perfection and I think you’ll love my take on this well-loved sheet cake. Recipe includes a how-to video!
I originally shared this recipe for Texas Sheet Cake over on Spend with Pennies!
I’m so in love with this cake. The tender chocolate crumb, the sleek, fudgy, shiny frosting, how simple it is to make…
Chocolate lovers, you’re going to want to try this one.
Chances are you’ve had or at least heard of Texas sheet cake before (fun fact: Texas sheet cake didn’t actually originate in Texas, just like German chocolate cake isn’t from Germany!). It’s a southern classic, baked in a jelly roll pan and perfect for bringing to a party or potluck. Or polishing off by yourself, I don’t judge.
Texas sheet cake is a classic, and the age-old recipe was almost perfect as-is. Almost. You know I can’t resist tweaking anything I try, and this recipe was no exception. I wanted the crumb to be just a bit softer, moister, more flavorful, and richer than the original, and oh did we get there. I took a few notes from my (best ever) chocolate cake recipe:
- Brown sugar in addition to granulated adds both moisture and a depth of flavor.
- A splash of vanilla extract, for added flavor of course.
- A sprinkle of instant coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Extra cocoa powder, for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
These small modifications make this cake a chocolate-lover’s dream.
And that frosting! That beautifully glossy blanket of chocolate fudge frosting is simple to make and absolutely heavenly. It’s made on the stovetop like a ganache, but it’s not quite as heavy, instead it’s light and melts in your mouth, giving way to that perfect chocolate crumb.
Storing
Chances are you won’t have any leftovers. But just in case you want to make it in advance:
Texas sheet cake can be stored covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. It will keep longer in the refrigerator, but keep in mind that the fridge tends to dry out cakes, even if they are covered. This cake can also be frozen. Allow it to cool completely and then cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Enjoy! For a peanut buttery variation, try my peanut butter sheet cake!
More Chocolate Recipes to Try:
Let’s bake together! Head on over to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 200 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
The Best Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces (226g)
- 1 cup water (235ml)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (33g)
- ½ cup sour cream (125g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (100g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee optional
FROSTING
- 6 Tablespoons whole milk
- ½ cup salted butter cut into pieces (113g)
- 6 Tablespoons natural cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifting is recommended (after measuring) to avoid any lumps (500g)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted pecans optional, see note
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and thoroughly grease and flour a 10x15 jelly roll pan (or spray with baking spray).
- Combine butter, water, and cocoa powder in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- While butter/cocoa mixture is cooling, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and instant coffee in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk together sour cream and eggs and vanilla. Stir this into your dry ingredients until combined.
- Once the chocolate mixture has cooled for at least 15 minutes, stir into your flour/sour cream mixture until mixture is smooth and completely combined.
- Spread batter into prepared jelly roll pan and bake on 350F (175C) for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Once cake has finished baking (or several minutes before), begin preparing frosting.
FROSTING
- Combine milk and butter in a medium-sized saucepan and cook over medium/low heat until butter is melted. Once butter has melted, remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder until combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Pour over cake while cake is still warm. If using pecans, sprinkle over frosting now.
- Allow frosting to harden (about one hour) and then slice and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Keturah
These were amazing! I will forever be using this recipe whenever I make Texas Sheet cake!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Mary
I made this today (Friday) to serve on Sunday for Fathers Day. Does it need to be refrigerated til then or store on counter?
Looks delicious!
Sam
Hi Mary! If it’s not too hot/humid where you are, I’d just leave it covered/wrapped on the counter. Enjoy! 🙂
Sarah
Such a yummy moist cake. My frosting also came out very thick….I followed recipe to the T. I will use more milk next time in the frosting.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Sarah! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Tina
I
Tried your Texas chocolate sheet cake on Sunday for my family and no leftovers. Love it and easy to make. Plan to bake again for Mother’s Day. Thank, Mahalo. Hawaii
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family LOVED it, Tina! It is a personal favorite of mine too. I hope that you have a nice Mother’s Day and enjoy your cake. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Veronica
My 5 year old said this is the best cake he’s ever had and my Texan husband said it tastes like his childhood cakes his mother would bake. Mom win!! Thank you. Sugarspunrun.com is my #1 go-to site for baking recipes. Always so happy with the results. For this sheet cake, because we are in a lockdown situation here in California, and I didn’t have sour cream on hand, I substituted with what I had.. unsweetened greek yogurt. I can’t wait to try it with sour cream! My husband has been doing the grocery shopping and I told him about my substitution. It wasn’t on the list, but he just came home with sour cream, so I’m thinking this is a hint to make it again! Be well!
Sugar Spun Run
Congrats on your win, Momma! I am so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed it. This recipe is a personal favorite of mine too. Thank you so much for trying it and for being a fan of my site. I appreciate your feedback and I hope that your second cake (hint hint lol) turns out even better! 🙂
Jessica
This cake is so good! I was planning on baking it but I’m low on flour. I do have a brand new box of cake flour. How can I use this up in this recipe, or any of your other recipes?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jessica! You are in luck, cake flour will work. If you are measuring by weight it will be a 1:1 substitution. If you are measuring in cups, you use 1 cup + 2 Tbsp of cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour that is called for. I hope that helps! 🙂
Jessica
Perfect. Thank you!
Derrick Stewart
My daughter, my grandmother, and I love this recipe! Ours has a hint of toffee flavor which was a bonus! Outstanding recipe and so moist and creamy, thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that the texas sheet cake was such a hit, Derrick! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Judy
I wonder what toasted pecans and toasted coconut mixed into icing would taste like. It sounds yummy ,has anyone tried this?
Alan
Wow, an excellent recipe! It has a very soft texture for such a thin cake. Thank you for sharing it!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the texas sheet cake, Alan! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for the feedback. 🙂
Larry
I made this chocolate cake but all had was a 9×13 pan. Also I crushed some Oreo cookies in a food processor for a topping on top of the chocolate frosting and it turned out amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the texas sheet cake, Larry. Crushed oreo topping sounds delightful. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Helen Arano
Made this with my 3.5 years old grandson, it was not only fun to make, the family rated it five star and took the recipe home with them.
Sugar Spun Run
I love it, Helen! Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I am so happy that you had a great time making it with your grandson and that your family loved the texas sheet cake. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Michele
Just made this cake. The whole house smells delicious! The cake looks perfect. I had the same issue as Bitsie and the frosting was too thick for spreading so I added milk. It came out perfect. Thank you!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed! I’m not sure why the frosting is coming out thick for some people (I’ve made it probably a dozen times by now 😂 and haven’t had this happen) but I think I’m going to use this as an excuse to make it again to see if I can troubleshoot why this might be happening. Thanks for commenting, Michele! 🙂
Joyce Stewart
Rather than just heating the milk & butter just until the butter melts, you probably let it boil a bit…this will cause the thick frosting because some of your milk has evaporated through boiling. Make sure it heats JUST until the butter melts.
Another recipe I make I have the same problem if I let the milk boil.
Ami
Going to make this tonight…the closest size pan I have is a 11×15. Will this make the cake too thin? Would I need to decrease the baking time any?
Thanks
Sam
Hi Ami! An 11×15 will work, the cake will be a little bit thinner but it shouldn’t be too thin. It will probably need to bake for just a little less time because it will be thinner, just keep an eye on it. 🙂
Tami Child
I love my original Texas sheet cake recipe from my Mom that has buttermilk in the cake and frosting. I usually add a bit more Cocoa powder like you and top with chopped pecans. This made me crave it, now I must make it today.
Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious, Tami! Happy Baking. 🙂
Bitsie
Hello Sam! I know that I always ask for this sort of information, please see it as a compliment as I really do enjoy your recipes and my family love eating the results! What is the weight of the butter used for the cake? Also for the icing, what is the g equivalent to half a cup of butter and for the 4 cups of powdered sugar? As you know, on this side of the pond we don’t use cups as a measurement very often and I also understand that US and UK cup sizes differ…… Thank you so much for your time, I look forward to trying this one out! Bitsie
Sam
Hi Bitsie! I’m sorry about that, I always like to include weight measurements in my recipe and have all the weight measurements for this cake so I’m not sure why I didn’t have those in there originally. I just went in and added them so you should see all measurements with weights now! I really hope that helps, and thank you for bringing that omission to my attention. I hope you love the Texas sheet cake 🙂
Bitsie
Thank you so much Sam for taking time out to do this! I shall be baking this cake later on today and will let you know how I get along. Although, I haven’t yet failed to delight some serious cake lovers when I follow your recipes. My family really do appreciate you!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Bitsie! I hope that this cake is a hit with your family. Keep me posted. Happy Baking. 🙂
Bitsie
Just finished baking, the sheet cake is cooling on the rack, iced and looking good!! However, despite following your recipe exactly, the icing was much, much thicker than yours was. I certainly could not pour it over the cake. I have had a sneaky taste – who doesn’t lick the spoon when the task is done? And it tasted just fine. Where do you think that I went wrong? Should I try more milk or less powdered sugar next time?? Thank you again Sam.
Sam
I’d try just a bit more milk, that should do the trick! Not sure why it came out so thick for you though. I’m glad it still tasted good and hope you love the cake 🙂
Cindy
Hi! I was wondering if I. CAn use a half sheet pan? Should I do incresethe recipe by half? or do you think the recipe as written will still work? I need 36 pieces so I am planning on doing two sheets. Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Cindy! If you’re trying to make two half-sheet pans, you will want to double this recipe. We hope that helps! 😊
Lucky Mashaba
I will try this recept
Sugar Spun Run
I hope that you love it! Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Becky
What if you do t have a sheet pan I only have a round cake pan?
Sam
It depends on the size of the cake pan. I would imagine the cake pan would be smaller in area, which would mean the cake would be thicker and the icing would be as well. The cake would also likely need to bake longer.
Cindy
Hi Sam,
I have a 10x15x2 pan. I’m pretty sure you used a 10x15x1 pan. Can I still use the thicker pan? Can’t wait to make this!
Sam
Hi Cindy! Your deeper pan should work just fine. 🙂