Description
This Best Texas Sheet Cake recipe features a moist, rich chocolate cake with a fudgy cocoa-based frosting. Easy to prepare with simple ingredients, this classic Southern dessert is perfect for serving a large crowd with its generous 24 servings. It combines the deep flavors of cocoa and buttermilk for a tender crumb and a smooth, luscious frosting poured over warm cake for ultimate indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
Frosting:
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 pound confectioners sugar
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir them together and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients for Cake: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully blended. Set aside.
- Prepare Cocoa Mixture: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the unsalted butter, cocoa powder, and water. Stir frequently and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the hot cocoa mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Quickly add the wet ingredients from the small bowl and mix all components until smooth and combined.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a saucepan, melt the ½ cup butter along with 4 tablespoons cocoa powder and 6 tablespoons buttermilk over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Finish Frosting: Stir in the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Frost the Cake: Pour the warm frosting evenly over the warm cake. Let it cool completely before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for better mixing.
- For a richer flavor, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Make sure to frost the cake while warm so the frosting absorbs nicely.
- The jelly roll pan size is typically 15×10 inches – adjust baking time if using a different size pan.
- Store cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
