Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake is a favorite all over the United States, not just in Texas! There are several strong opinions on the “right way” to make Texas Sheet Cake, but it doesn’t really matter which way you prefer, it’s delicious either way!
Make it with fudgy frosting or add pecans or walnuts to the icing.
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake Controversy
In fact, the controversy over the right way to make Texas Sheet Cake is so widespread, the Library of Congress did research on it to explain its mysterious history. I have personally seen arguments on Facebook over this very post – people saying that the walnuts are not optional, and others saying it should be pecans and not walnuts.
I am not personally from the south and only first heard about this popular cake back in 2009 when I initially wrote this blog post. Back then my kids wouldn’t touch a cake with nuts and our neighbor who often attended in family gatherings had a nut allergy. I have since made this cake with walnut and with pecans and both are amazing!
One of my favorite cookbooks is Peace, Love, & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue, by Mike Mills. It’s full of delicious barbecue recipes and fabulous tales from all over U.S. from some of the top names in barbecue.
While this book is jam-packed full of fabulous and smokey barbecue goodness, it also includes recipes for different salads (including this fabulous Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad), sauces, rubs, sides, and desserts.
Want more Texas recipes? how about this Texas Style Oven Brisket? I’m dying to try it!
Making Texas Sheet Cake
One such dessert is Chris Mills’ Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake on page 17. Mike explains that in his family it’s a “rite of passage” to bring your first attempt at cooking to a family party. It will, he explains, invoke criticism, so members of the Mills family have developed a thick skin.
The first time Chris made this, he forgot a key ingredient, the buttermilk. The cake never rose and was hard as a rock. Since then, Chris has perfected the recipe and brings it to all family parties.
This is truly a delicious recipe. It is a sheet cake baked in a jelly roll pan and therefore not a high rising cake. It’s important to note that the step where you pour the icing over the hot cake is the secret to the moist and fudge-like texture.
Ingredients you need for Texas Sheet Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk mixed with 2 tablespoons white
- vinegar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 box (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Helpful kitchen tools:
- 18-by-12-inch sheet pan (jelly roll pan)
- Bowls
- Saucepan
- Whisk
More Cake Recipes
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 each large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 pound powdered sugar 1 box
- 3/4 cup walnuts chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 18-by-12-inch sheet pan.
Make the cake:
- Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl.
- Combine the water, butter, shortening, and cocoa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the flour mixture.
- In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla together. Add to the batter and blend thoroughly by hand. Don’t use an electric mixer.
- Pour into the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester come out clean.
When the cake has baked for about 15 minutes, make the icing:
- Combine the butter, milk, and cocoa in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir in the confectioners’ sugar and walnuts, if desired. Pour the icing over the cake as soon as it is removed from the oven and spread it out evenly.
- Let the cake cool completely on a rack before serving from the pan.
Video
Nutrition
This post was originally published here on Amanda’s Cookin’ on August 30, 2009
Amanda Formaro
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Debra K Sheckels says
Have been making this cake for probably 50+ years. Since neither of my sisters are fans of any kind of nut (they really do exist) my mom always made it and I still do with pecans in only half the icing. My husband, long ago complained that he didn’t like chocolate (he lied), so I made up a concoction, I call “spice Texas sheet cake”. Basically I eliminate the cocoa, increase the cinnamon to 2 tsps, and add 1 tsp each ginger & nutmeg. Then I make the icing also without the cocoa. Both are always a big hit at family functions.
Sandra Rose says
yummu
Briannia says
How do you store the cake? Room temp or refrigerated?
Amanda Formaro says
Room temp is fine, but fridge will work too.
Jeanne Emery says
I just made this yummy cake. You made the directions easy to follow with good explanation for everything. My Brother will be loving this for his Birthday tomorrow. Better to serve a different sort of cake rather than just the same ordinary ones. Thank you so much. ❤🎉❤
Amanda Formaro says
That’s awesome Jeanne! Happy birthday to your brother :)
D. Walker says
I’ve been making this cake for 40 yrs. I love that I don’t have to drag my mixer out for it! My recipe is identical, except mine calls for a tsp of vanilla in the icing . . . which really enhances the flavor. I usually add a cup of strong coffee in place of the water called for in the cake batter. This is a GREAT cake. Thanks for posting!
Amanda Formaro says
Love the idea of the coffee, I will try that! :)
Natalie says
I love these kind of cakes – so easy to make and a great treat with a coffee cup :)
Megan says
OMGoodness! I haven't even made the watermelon cookies yet and now, now you throw this at me. I want to make both! My butt does not thank you, but my tastebuds will!!! :)
Grumpy and HoneyB says
We love this recipe! Its always a favorite to take to gatherings because it feeds so many!
marla says
Love this cake! But I am from TEXAS and only use PECANS!
Virginia Norris says
Absolutely and they are NOT optional and must be toasted. First had this in the early 50s when we called it Annie May’s sheet cake because she always brought it to church dinners. I think the recipe Camembert from The Houston Chronicle.
thruthebugsonmywindshield says
My mom made one very similar to this. Dad, who worked with sheet metal for a living, made her two special pans just for this cake. She would run home at lunch, whip one up and be back at work in less than an hour so that all the folks there could have warm chocolate cake for whatever special occasion was going on, i.e. birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Has to be about my favorite! I'm going to have to get one of those pans out and make this one this weekend!
Tasty Eats At Home says
I'm not a big cake person, ubut this is a great cake. Yours looks awesome.
RecipeGirl says
I've been wanting to make a Texas sheet cake for a loooong time! This looks like a good recipe to try out- SO yummy looking!
Amanda says
Thanks everyone, I need to make this again :)
Charlotte says
This looks delicious, yum.