Texas Sheet Cake is a classic Southern dessert known for its rich, chocolatey flavor and tender, moist texture. Popular at potlucks, family gatherings, and church suppers, this cake has a unique preparation method where hot cocoa mixture is poured directly into the dry ingredients, creating an ultra-soft crumb. Topped with a warm, fudgy Butter Nut Frosting, it's a decadent and nostalgic treat that’s easy to make in large batches.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted )
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ lb butter (butter)
- 4 tbsp cocoa (heaping )
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the Butter Nut Frosting:
- 1 cup pecans (chopped )
- ½ lb butter
- 16 oz powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 6 tbsp evaporated milk
- 4 tbsp heaping cocoa
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Grease a 15x10x2-inch pan.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and salt.
Step 3: Prepare Cocoa Mixture
- In a heavy pan, bring butter, water, and cocoa to a boil.
- Remove from heat as soon as it boils.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry
- Pour hot cocoa mixture into dry ingredients and mix well.
- Add sour cream, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla.
- Mix until batter is smooth.
Step 5: Bake the Cake
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes.
Step 6: Make Frosting While Cake Bakes
- In a heavy pan, boil milk, butter, and cocoa until bubbly.
- Stir in nuts, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Mix until smooth.
Step 7: Frost the Cake
- Spread frosting immediately over the hot cake after removing from oven.
Tips
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the batter for a classic Texas-style twist.
- Swap sour cream for Greek yogurt for a slightly tangier cake.
- Toast the pecans before adding them to the frosting for deeper flavor.
- Add ½ teaspoon almond extract to the frosting for a nutty aromatic note.
- Replace nuts with mini chocolate chips if serving to those with nut allergies.
- For extra moisture, poke the warm cake lightly before adding frosting.
- Use Dutch-process cocoa for a richer, darker cake.
- Add flaky salt on top of warm frosting for a sweet-salty finish.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream for a crowd-pleasing dessert.
Nutrition
Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 210mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 430IUCalcium: 55mgIron: 1.6mg
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