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!
Why this recipe works
Chocolate texas sheet cake is popular for its fudgy frosting and thin, decadent chocolate cake interior. Many people swear by adding pecans or walnuts to the frosting which brings forth a large debate on which way is the “proper” way to make this iconic sheet cake.
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!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CAKE – Hence the name, you’ll want to use a sheet cake pan for this cake. You can also use a jelly roll pan (15×12), though you’ll end up with a slightly thicker cake. A sheet cake pan should measure either 17×12 or 18×13/18×12 inches.
How to Make Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 18-by-12-inch sheet pan (or 18×13).
- 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 comes out clean.
- Once 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.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Yes, you can bake, cool, and store this sheet cake a day in advance if tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
To store, tightly wrap the top of the sheet cake pan with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy at room temperature or warm from the oven. Some even like it chilled! It all comes down to individual preference.
Chocolate Texas sheet cake 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.
More Cake Recipes
- Lemon Cake
- Easy Banana Cake
- Classic White Cake
- Chocolate Poke Cake
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Boston Cream Poke Cake
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Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- ½ cup solid vegetable shortening
- 3 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 pound powdered sugar 1 box
- ¾ cup walnuts chopped, optional
Things You’ll Need
- Sheet pan 18×12 or 18×13
Before You Begin
- Hence the name, you’ll want to use a sheet cake pan for this cake. You can also use a jelly roll pan (15×12), though you’ll end up with a slightly thicker cake. A sheet cake pan should measure either 17×12 or 18×13/18×12 inches.
- Store the fully cooled cake tightly covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 4-5.
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.
Nutrition
This post was originally published here on Amanda’s Cookin’ on August 30, 2009
Amanda Davis
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Jamie says
This was delicious and perfect for a child’s birthday party or BBQ! As an avid baker, I offer a few suggestions: next time I would use salted butter, and add about 1/2 tsp of salt to both the cake mixture and the icing. I would also add mini chocolate chips to the warm butter/shortening mixture just to boost the cake’s chocolate flavor before adding to the flour. Additionally, this cake to icing ratio is about even when complete so if you don’t prefer that much chocolate icing, you could double the recipe to have a thicker cake, which would also feed more people.
Amanda Davis says
Looks great! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Dre Bosco says
Ahh! We figured out the problem with the undesovled sugar results. My daughter used a cake pan, not a cookie sheet to bake this in. When we ate the bottom of the cake (closest to the bottom of the pan), the cake was perfect. We think the pan difference created the problem.
Dre Bosco says
Can anyone tell us what went wrong? We made the recipe as noted, but the cake taste like sugar pudding where the sugar didn’t dissolve all the way. This would be a great cake if we could just figure out what we did wrong with the granulated sugar step. Thanks in advance!
Mandie says
My mother made this cake a lot when I was a kid. I vaguely remember her saying she would put peanut butter in the icing. Has anyone ever tried this and if so, how much PB?
Margie Ulrich says
Cake is delicious, but did you ad extra frosting? Mine doesn’t look like the pictures you have posted.
Amanda Formaro says
No, just how it’s listed!
Jamie LYoung says
Superb. This is the only chocolate cake my husband has requested. The one perplexing thing to me with regard to the cake is the glaring absence of salt. For me,I definitely gotta have that touch of salt to counter the sweet. I Even when so far as sparsely adding flaked sea salt atop the cooled cake. The occasional and ever-so-slight touch of salt leaves me craving that salty balance. But with that simple addition, this cake is next level. Thank you for helping me create something my husband actually requests by name and thanks for so generously sharing this gem with us…. What a delight.
Shannon says
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve made, came out perfect! My daughter invited me over for dinner so I made this for dessert, everyone LOVED IT, even my mother who doesn’t eat chocolate loved it. This is a definite keeper and will be my go to chocolate cake.
Lana Pyle says
My icing is runny any idea what to try different,or what I’m doing wrong?
Love the recipe the cake is GREAT!
Amanda Formaro says
It is a thin pourable icing. Do you mean that it never set?
Theo Giamo says
My Favorite Cake! I lost my recipe. I must have made this version of it 100 times. When my kids were young I would make it for them. Both chocolate faces enjoying it.
Gillian says
Please……give non-Americans a clue……what is vegetable shortening? Is there an alternative?
Amanda Formaro says
The closest equivalent is lard.
Nita says
Crisco has a solid instead of using lard.
Elizabeth says
I am not sure where you are located , just non-American, but if in the UK -Trex is vegetable shortening , in Germany it is called Brattfett, there is no alternative in France, so use margarine if you can find it. I hope this helps. I would not substitute lard as stated below, that will give you a very “off” flavor.
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.
LaRee Michelle Rees says
This made me laugh…my Mother makes it with half nut free too….we do in fact exist!!! Love this cake!!!!
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.