Easy Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake is a family favorite and ideal dessert for chocolate lovers. This cake has moist chocolate cake made in a sheet pan with a warm chocolate frosting poured over the top.
Have you ever made a Texas sheet cake? This is one of the easiest homemade cakes I have made, plus it is full of chocolate flavor. This is great when you have to feed any type of crowd from parties to potlucks. It won't stay around very long! This chocolate version is super tasty and it will scratch that chocolate craving.
If you want to try some other sheet cakes, try my Best Lemon Sheet Cake, Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake, or White Texas Sheet Cake.
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Ingredients for Chocolate Sheet Cake
- unsalted butter
- water
- cocoa powder
- granulated sugar
- buttermilk or sour cream
- eggs
- all purpose flour
- vanilla
- baking soda
- salt
Frosting: - unsalted butter
- buttermilk or whole milk
- powdered sugar
- cocoa powder
- vanilla extract
FAQs
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake is a large, thin cake known for its moist, tender crumb and rich chocolate flavor. It's typically baked in a jelly roll pan and topped with a warm, fudgy chocolate frosting.
Yes, you can use a different pan size, but the baking time will vary. For example, if you use a 9x13-inch pan, the cake will be thicker and may take longer to bake. Monitor the cake and use a toothpick to check for doneness.
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can freeze the cake. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. Freeze the frosting separately if possible. Thaw the cake and frosting in the refrigerator before bringing them to room temperature and frosting the cake.
Top Tips
- Texas sheet cakes are typically in an 18x3" half sheet pan or jelly roll pan. It helps to create a larger, thinner cake you can share or eat it all yourself.
- The secret for Texas sheet cake is to frost it while it is hot.
- For a slight variation, sprinkle crushed walnuts over the top after frosting the top.
How to make Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your sheet pan/jelly roll pan with parchment paper or non-stick spray.
- Combine butter, water, and cocoa in a medium/large saucepan on the stovetop and bring to boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt. Add saucepan ingredients to dry ingredients, then mix lightly.
- Add buttermilk or sour cream and eggs, mixing until no lumps remain. Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated oven. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
- Start preparing the frosting when cake has about 10 minutes to go.
- Combine butter and cocoa in a saucepan on top of the stove. Once boiling, remove from heat, add in vanilla and buttermilk/milk.
- Place powdered sugar in large bowl or stand mixer and pour hot cocoa mixture on top.
- Blend together until no lumps and frosting is smooth.
- Spread frosting over cake while it is still hot and make sure to hit the entire top of the cake. Slice while warm or cool. Enjoy!
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Sheet Cake
- 1 Cup/2 sticks Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Water
- ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Buttermilk (or Sour Cream)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. Vanilla
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- ½ tsp. Salt
Chocolate Frosting
- ½ Cup/1 stick Butter
- ¼ cup Buttermilk or Regular Milk
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
- ¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp. Vanilla
Instructions
To make the sheet cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your sheet pan/jelly roll pan with parchment paper or non-stick spray.
- Combine butter, water, and cocoa in a medium/large saucepan on the stovetop and bring to boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Add saucepan ingredients to dry ingredients, then mix lightly.
- Add buttermilk or sour cream and eggs, mixing until no lumps remain.
- Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated oven. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
- Start preparing the frosting when cake has about 10 minutes to go.
Chocolate Frosting:
- Combine butter and cocoa in a saucepan on top of the stove. Once boiling, remove from heat, add in vanilla and buttermilk/milk.
- Place powdered sugar in large bowl or stand mixer and pour hot cocoa mixture on top.
- Blend together until no lumps and frosting is smooth.
- Spread frosting over cake while it is still hot and make sure to hit the entire top of the cake. Slice while warm or cool. Enjoy!
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