So rich, chocolaty and sinfully delicious… this Texas Sheet Cake has always been a favorite cake of mine growing up (and as an adult!).
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My mama has been making this cake since I can remember and it’s always such a treat. One of her old co-workers used to bake this dessert for office potlucks and it was always a hit, so she gave her the recipe 30+ years ago!
So when I asked my mama recently what kind of cake she wanted me to make for her birthday, she said, “chocolate!”. This was the first cake that came to mind since we both haven’t had it in forever… it’s so decadent and that’s a total understatement! 
There is a little time involved with preparing this cake but trust me… it’s totally worth it.
Mama has always called this a “Double Chocolate Nut Cake”, but after doing a little research on similar recipes, I discovered it’s more widely known as a Texas Sheet Cake. There are several variations of the recipe and I’m sure they’re all spectacular, but growing up eating this cake I can tell you it’s one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever eaten.
Enjoy!
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Texas Sheet Cake
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
For the frosting:
- 16 ounces powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- â…“ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a sheet cake pan with cooking spray.
- Place flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter. Add water and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine and bring to a boil, whisking frequently.
- Remove from heat and pour over flour mixture. Using a large spoon, stir well to combine. Add buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Stir again to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared sheet cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle is removed clean.
- Using a skewer, poke holes about 1-inch apart throughout the cake and prepare frosting.
For the frosting:Â
- Pour powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter. Add cocoa powder and milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Pour mixture over powdered sugar and add vanilla extract. Stir with a large spoon until smooth. Add more milk if needed for desired consistency.
- Spread warm frosting evenly over cake and sprinkle evenly with toasted chopped pecans.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: texas sheet cake, texas sheet cake recipe, texas chocolate sheet cake
Is a sheet cake pan the same size of a 9×13 pan or what size would a sheet pan be. In the picture it looks like a 9×13 pan to me.
Hi Shirley, it is a 9 x 13. 🙂
Thank you!!!
Do you frost the cake while it’s warm?
Yes I frost it while it’s warm. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Does this cake need to be refrigerated?
Thanks
Tina
Hi Tina, yes I would refrigerate it once it cools (since the icing has butter as an ingredient). Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Yep, Grandma’s recipe! Yum
Thanks, Carrie… it’s always a special treat around here! 🙂