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When a full Texas Sheet Cake is just too much cake this recipe for Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two is the answer!
Why is it called Texas Sheet Cake?
If you know anything about Texas, you know it is big! The saying “Everything is bigger in Texas” is true and this cake is traditionally made in a large jelly roll pan which is basically the size of Texas! It’s big and this cake feeds a crowd.
Today though, we are making a small batch version, just the right amount of cake for 2-4 people.
If you want a full size recipe, my Texas Sheet Cake recipe can be found here.
How to Make A Tiny Texas Sheet Cake for Two
You will need a small bowl and a small sauce pan to mix up your cake batter.
- Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
- In the small saucepan add hot water (just out of the tap), cocoa and butter. Stir to melt and combine. Bring to a boil.
- Pour this mixture over the flour mixture ands stir to combine.
- Into the mixture add in egg yolk, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased 9 x 7″ baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Don’t over bake this cake! Because it is a thin cake over baking it will quickly dry it out.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven prepare the frosting.
How to Frost a Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two?
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat combine butter, milk, cocoa, powdered sugar and stir until butter melts and ingredients combine to form a smooth frosting. Do not let it boil, this will make a grainy frosting. The frosting should be “runny”.
- Pour hot frosting over the hot cake. This is the secret to Texas Sheet Cake and what turns the frosting into a fudge like consistency on the cake.
- Allow the frosting to set up and slice into 4-6 pieces depending on how many people you are serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the perfect cake for chocolate lovers. It is a thin layer of tender, moist chocolate cake covered with a fudge like chocolate frosting. Warm frosting is poured onto warm cake causing the frosting to develop a fudge like consistency.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk. This recipe only uses 1 1/2 Tbsp of buttermilk so add just 1/4 tsp of lemon juice or vinegar to that amount of milk.
How to Cut a Sheet Cake
My favorite way to cut a sheet cake or any bar cookie with frosting on top is with a plastic disposable knife. You will get a nice clean cut and the frosting won’t build up on the knife.
Next time you are craving chocolate and the fudginess of a Texas Sheet Cake make yourself a Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two!
For some of my other small batch chocolate desserts check out:
You can find all my small batch recipes here.
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot water out of the tap
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Frosting
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp milk I use whipping cream but can also use buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Mix together flour, sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl.
- In a small sauce pan combine butter, cocoa and water. Stir until butter melts and mixture comes to a boil.
- Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add in egg yolk, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 7 inch baking pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Frosting
- As soon as cake comes out of oven mix up frosting.
- In a small sauce pan combine butter ,milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar.
- Stir until butter melts and ingredients are combined. Frosting will be thin. Do not allow it to boil.
- Add in vanilla.
- Pour hot frosting over hot cake out of the oven.
- Spread to cover cake.
Tips & Notes:
- If you don’t have a 9 x 7 inch baking pan use an 8 x 8 inch pan.
- Don’t overbake the sheet cake, it will dry out
- Always frost the cake while it is still hot. The frosting will turn fudgy and delicious.
Use a plastic disposable knife to cut the cake for a nice clean cut.
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Nutrition Facts:
Tamara Smith says
Did you forget to say in your cake recipe possibly milk?
I went step by step and in your ingredients you never mention milk.
I made this and it was a very small amount of batter and it didn’t come close to even filling up the bottom of pan.
I’m looking over your list of ingredients and something is missing. Never was enough batter and way too thick. There’s just a tbsp and half of buttermilk. That’s literally the only wet ingredient there is.
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
Tamara, There is 1/4 cup of water in the recipe, did you miss that? You combine and boil the water, cocoa and butter. If you are using the correct size pan, there is plenty of batter to fill the pan.