Texas Sheet Cake is an irresistible chocolate dessert that everyone always raves about! If you’re looking for a deliciously decadent way to end a meal, or a standout treat to take to a get-together, you have found it. This easy cake, filled with incredible chocolate flavor, is sure to become a new favorite!
Reasons We Love This Recipe
- It’s a chocolate lover’s paradise. This cake is as chocolatey as it gets!
- It’s not a difficult cake to make. You’re preparing it from scratch with flavorful, fresh ingredients.
- Feed a crowd! Because this cake is a bit richer than some, a modest slice is plenty for most people. With 24 servings in this recipe, it’s a great way to feed a big family or perfect for a party.
- You can decorate it any way that you want. While delicious and beautiful when kept simple, you can add more to it if desired. Whipped cream, cherries, or sprinkles are great options.
How To Make Texas Sheet Cake
You can look forward to rave reviews when you whip up a pan of this dreamy chocolate cake! This is a simple cake to make, even for new bakers.
This is not a light and fluffy, mile high cake. Texas Sheet Cake almost walks the line between being cake and being a brownie, in the very best way imaginable. It’s moist texture, with rich chocolate flavor, is truly a stand out when it comes to the dessert table.
Below, you will find discussion, expert tips, and answers to frequently asked questions about the recipe. The full printable recipe, with exact measurements and instructions, is found at the bottom of this page.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour – All-purpose flour is the way to go with this cake. Make sure you measure it properly by giving your flour a stir, then spooning it into your measuring cups. Don’t scoop to measure!
- Granulated Sugar – Your everyday usage granulated sugar works great in this recipe.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Natural or Dutch Process Cocoa Powder will work with this recipe.
- Baking Soda –Use baking soda to get your cake to rise to perfection. Make sure to double check the expiration date.
- Sour Cream – This helps keep the cake tender and moist. You can substitute plain Greek yogurt, if you’d like. While lowfat is great for many things, in this recipe, full fat is the way to go to get the best texture.
- Pecans – Pecans are a Texas staple! Raw pecans or toasted will be delicious on this cake.
- Instant Coffee – Be sure to use a high quality instant coffee for this recipe. The better quality the coffee, the more flavorful your cake will be.
- Butter – Salted butter works best in this recipe, but unsalted is fine if that’s what you have.
- Vanilla – You can use homemade vanilla extract if you have it on hand, otherwise a pure vanilla extract is always best.
- Eggs – For best results, bring your eggs to room temperature.
- Cream – Heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, takes the frosting to a whole other level.
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work well in this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar – Also called icing sugar or confectioners sugar, this is integral to the frosting.
Steps To Take
Prepare to make this Homemade Texas Sheet Cake by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and greasing a 13 x 18 inch baking pan. Next, grab your mixing bowl and add white sugar, baking soda, salt, and flour together. Then, add the sour cream, two eggs, and vanilla into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well.
For the next step, take out a medium sized saucepan, set it on the stove, and begin melting butter with cocoa powder.
Stir the instant coffee into boiling water and then pour in the coffee and brown sugar until everything is liquified. Bring your sauce to a boil and then remove from heat, allowing it to cool slightly, approximately 5-10 minutes. After it has cooled slightly, add the chocolate butter mixture into your batter little by little, stirring rapidly as you pour. Stir until smooth, getting rid of any lumps.
Pour it into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula, if needed, to make sure it evenly covers the pan. Bake the cake for approximately 15 minutes.
You’ll make the frosting while the cake bakes by combining butter, cocoa, and cream into a saucepan. It’s brought to a boil, then removed from the heat. Stir in the vanilla, powdered sugar and chopped pecans. A hand mixer might be needed to get this icing smooth.
Pour the frosting over the cake while both are warm. Make sure to pour and spread quickly, while still warm because this frosting sets up and crystalizes quickly. The cake should sit for at least ten minutes prior to serving.
Expert Advice
Make sure you’re adding your frosting while it’s warm and while the cake is still hot! There is a special magic that is created, and the icing starts to sink into the cake to some extent. The combo of warm cake and frosting is really integral when it comes to a true Texas Sheet Cake!
For storage, you can keep the cake at room temperature if your home feels cool and dry. If not, it’s best to store the cake in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
What if I don’t like coffee? Although this recipe includes instant coffee, you won’t taste it, I promise. The coffee simply enhances the chocolate taste.
What should I do if I don’t have powdered sugar? If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can run white sugar through your blender for several minutes to get it to the right texture.
Do I have to use pecans? If you don’t like pecans, you don’t need to use them. You can substitute your favorite nut instead. Walnuts would make a great substitution.
Do I need to use both brown and white sugar? You are welcome to substitute either all brown or all white. It will change the texture and flavor slightly, but will still be delicious.
More Recipes To Try
If you love this recipe, I have others that I think you’ll enjoy as well.
Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Lover’s Mississippi Mud Cake
- Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Overload Cake
- Chocolate Caramel Cake
- Crockpot Cake
If you love the nutty topping on this cake, make sure to check out my Oatmeal Cake as well.
Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Icing
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13×18 inch sheet pan that has a lip at least 3/4" high around it.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, white sugar, baking soda and salt. Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla to the ingredients. Using an electric mixer to combine ingredients, but do not over-mix.
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and cocoa powder together and whisk together.
- Stir the instant coffee into the boiling water. Pour instant coffee and water mixture, and brown sugar, into the saucepan with other ingredients. Whisk until smooth while bringing mixture to a boil. Once a low boil starts, remove from heat and sit aside to allow it to cool slightly, approximately 10 minutes.
- Gradually add the chocolate, butter and coffee mixture to the batter in the large mixing bowl, stirring constantly. Mix until smooth and free of any lumps.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth to evenly distribute into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Test by poking a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the batter is still very wet, continue baking for another 5 minutes. Then remove it from the oven. It is okay if the toothpick still comes out a little dirty. We don’t want to over-bake the cake.
Icing
- While the cake is baking you may begin working on the frosting. In a medium saucepan melt the butter then mix in the cocoa and cream. Bring this mixture to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla, icing sugar, and chopped pecans. You may need a hand mixer to get this smooth.
- Pour the frosting over the cake while both are warm. Make sure to pour and spread quickly, while still warm because this frosting sets up and crystalizes quickly. Let it set for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Barb says
I make this a lot to give away to friends or take with meals to church families. I use water instead of coffee (usually because I don’t have it available) and walnuts instead of pecans. I am always asked to bring this cake!! It’s a winner!!!
Debbie says
His cake is so delicious. I use it for all occasions. Everyone else loves it as well