This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
This has been my go to Texas Sheet Cake recipe for years. The cake flavor and texture are perfection and the frosting is amazing!!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
One of my favorite desserts to make when I am cooking for a crowd is Texas Sheet Cake. I have had today’s recipe for years and we love it. Whenever I am in the mood for something good and chocolatey, this cake does the trick! It is the perfect dessert for all your upcoming summer BBQs too or whenever you have to feed a crowd!
I have tried a lot of recipes over the years and I always come back to this one. I think the perfect recipe should be part brownie and part cake.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour, unbleached all purpose flour
- Sugar, granulated sugar and powdered sugar
- Salt
- Butter, room temperature
- Cocoa Powder
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Baking Soda
- Vanilla Extract
- White Vinegar
What Size Pan Do You Use For Sheet Cake?
This cake is best made in a jelly roll pan, A jelly roll pan measures 15 x 10″ which makes it the perfect party sized cake. This cake can feed a crowd and depending on how big you cut the pieces it can easily feed 15 -16 people.
How to Make Texas Sheet Cake
- Mix together flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
- Whisk water, cocoa and butter into a saucepan. Stir until butter melts and mixture comes to a boil.
- Pour hot mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add in eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla and vinegar.
- Pour batter into greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
- Mix together butter, milk and cocoa.
- Add in powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Beat well and spread on hot cake right after it comes out of the oven. (The frosting will begin to melt into the cake which is exactly what you want it to do.)
- Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the cake.
Tips from Leigh Anne
- Use a plastic disposable knife to cut the cake into pieces. Using a plastic knife helps you get a nice clean cut, the frosting doesn’t build up on the knife.
- Frost it while it is warm. You want that frosting to soak into the cake part way!
- If you only need to feed 2-4 people be sure and check out my Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze this cake?
You can freeze Texas sheet cake if you have leftovers. I prefer to freeze cake in individual pieces wrapped air tight in plastic wrap. They will freeze for 2-3 months.
What’s the difference between sheet cake and regular cake?
The size of the pan and the thickness of the cake are the two main differences. Sheet cake is made in a large, shallow pan and a regular cake is made in a 9 x 13 ” pan or two 8 or 9 inch round pans. A sheet cake is larger and thinner.
Can I add nuts to the sheet cake?
If you like nuts in your baked goods you can chop pecans and add them in with the cake batter or sprinkle them on top of the frosting.
Try these other delicious sheet cakes:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 6 Tbsp milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Mix together flour, sugar, salt, in a bowl and set aside
- In a sauce pan, add water, cocoa and butter. Stir until butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients and stir.
- Add in eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla and vinegar. Mix to combine.
- Pour into a greased 15x10x1 pan
- Bake at 350 for 25 minutes
Frosting:
- Mix butter, milk and cocoa together
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla
- Beat well and spread on hot cake as it comes from oven
Tips & Notes:
- Use a plastic disposable knife to cut the cake into pieces. Using a plastic knife helps you get a nice clean cut, the frosting doesn’t build up on the knife.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Facts:
Paul V Drozd says
My mom used to make this cake back in the 70s and 80s growing up. I remembered it didn’t take her long to make it 25 minutes and it’s done actually 40 minutes and you’ve got a cake. This cake is made exactly how she used to make it. It’s a perfect Texas sheet cake.
Paul Drozd says
I make this cake for a GM that works for UhAul here in Dallas every year for her Birthday. The only thing i did different is i used buttermilk instead of milk in the frosting which makes it even richer. It’s a quick and easy Texas Sheet Cake to make. I also put cinnamon in it which in hanses the flavor even more. But over all it’s a 5 . Takes about 35 minutes overall to bake and ice. Oh put Pecans across the top.
M Lynne Wojner says
What does the vinegar do? Can you skip it?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
When vinegar reacts with baking soda, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles, which act as leavening agents. So as the batter bakes, these tiny bubbles expand, causing the cake to rise and giving it that light, airy texture.
If you don’t want to use vinegar, you can substitute an equal amount of lemon juice. If you want to skip the acidic liquid altogether, you can substitute a tablespoon of baking powder for each teaspoon of baking soda. Then add water equal to the amount of vinegar you omitted.
Barb T says
Our favorite! I have a slight problem though. My pan is 15x10x1. The cake portion always curls over the top which makes the icing drip over the sides. (no problem because I collect the “stray” icing as a treat for myself!). I can’t find a pan that is more than one inch high. Can I decrease any of the ingredients to decrease the overflow?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
Decreasing to fit your pan may be tricky. It might be easier to buy a bigger pan 🙂
Laurie says
Husband loves this cake. I did use the Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder & very tasty!
Wendy Floyd says
This was best tasting easiest cake ever. Everyone loved it.