Texas sheet cake is a delicious chocolate cake with poured chocolate frosting perfect for parties and celebrations!
This easy Texas sheet cake recipe is a classic staple at birthdays in our house (we even make a football field cake version!). Named for either the size of the pan or the fact that it first appeared in a Texas newspaper (maybe both!), it’s one you don’t want to skip.
Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
📌 Rich chocolatey flavor that can’t be beat. This recipe is tried and true and delivers amazing flavor in both the cake and icing!
📌 Quick cooking! We love making sheet cakes because the bake in much less time than a traditional cake.
📌 Perfect party squares – it’s so easy to cut this cake into even sized squares for passing out at parties and gives lots of room for fun decorating.
Ingredients
- Butter – I know it’s controversial, but I like to use salted butter in my baking. You can use unsalted butter if you prefer!
- Eggs – Large eggs.
- Sour cream – Full fat sour cream.
- Vanilla – Real vanilla extract.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Cocoa powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Leavening agents – Baking soda and baking powder.
- Salt – If you use salted butter, you may want to half or skip the salt.
- Frosting – Butter, milk, cocoa powder, powdered sugar.
Grab your ingredients ahead of time to make things go smoothly!
Step-by-step directions
⭐ First, in a small bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
⭐ Then, melt the butter with water. Using a mixer on low, add the butter mixture to the dry mix. When just combined, add in the sour cream mixture.
⭐ Next, pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
⭐ Finally, while the cake is cooking, make the frosting by adding the butter, cocoa powder and milk to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then remove from heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Sour cream makes this cake super moist!
Preparation
Can you make sheet cake ahead of time?
Absolutely, I love being able to bake the cake ahead and have that out of the way. I typically wait to do the icing the day-of, but you can do it ahead too if you prefer.
Nuts or no nuts?
My picky kids don’t like nuts on the cake, but I love adding chopped pecans or walnuts! Stir them right into the frosting before pouring it over the cake, then sprinkle a few on top so folks know it contains nuts.
What frosting for Texas sheet cake?
This cake calls for a poured frosting made with cocoa powder, butter, and confectioner’s sugar. Chopped nuts are optional (but delicious!).
Pour the icing over your cooked cake and let it settle and cool. Add nuts if you love them!
Storage and leftovers
Do you have to refrigerate chocolate cake?
You do not have to refrigerate the cake. It can be left at room temperature for up to two days. Any longer than that an you will want to pop it in the fridge or freezer.
How long does chocolate cake sheet cake last?
The cake will keep about two days at room temperature (make sure it’s a cool dry room and the cake is covered), up to a week in the refrigerator, or longer in the freezer.
Can you freeze it?
You can freeze cake! Yay! Ideally you’ll want to freeze the cake unfrosted. Allow it to cool completely, then freeze in an airtight freezer safe container or bag, with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost as desired.
If freezing leftovers after frosting, store in a freezer safe tupperware container, separating slices with parchment paper.
Slice into 20 squares.
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
How do I make a dark chocolate cake?
Use a dark cocoa powder (like Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder) when making the cake to make it ultra dark. Do not use Dutch processed cocoa powder.
How do I make it even more chocolatey?
If this still isn’t enough chocolate for you, go ahead and add a cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate morsels into the batter before baking. Make sure to serve with a glass of strong coffee or good red wine. Yum!
How do I keep my homemade chocolate cake from sticking?
You’ll want to line or grease your cake pans. Don’t skip this step! For the absolute best results, brush the pans with our homemade cake release. It’s a million times better than cooking spray!
Make sure to sprinkle a few nuts on top if you use them so people will know what’s inside!
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this recipe with other party favorites like pink sherbet punch, orange fluff salad, bacon wrapped chicken bites, and cowboy caviar!
Make an extra and stash it in the freezer so you can have cake any day!
More awesome cake recipes
- Pumpkin bundt cake
- Strawberry poke cake
- Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
- Orange cake with whole oranges
- See all our cake recipes!
Other yummy chocolate dishes
- Chocolate and peanut crockpot candy
- Oreo truffles
- Chocolate shortbread cookies
- Chocolate buttercream frosting
- See all our chocolate recipes!
My kids love decorating these cakes, they’re so big and fit lots and lots of sprinkles!
Tools we love
- Bakers half sheet – It’s cool, we only have about six of these bakers half sheets because they’re good for absolutely everything. Cookies? Yes! Steak? Yes! Cake? Oh yeh! Roasted veggies? Uhhhh huh!
- Metal spatula – Perfect for picking up cake squares!
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How to Make Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
CAKE:
- ¾ cup butter unsalted; if you use salted butter skip adding salt
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1½ cups white granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt skip if using salted butter
FROSTING:
- ½ cup butter my preference is salted for this, but unsalted will also work.
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 - 4 cups powdered sugar
- optional: 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
OTHER
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Melt the butter with 1 cup of water (in the microwave or on the stove top). Using a mixer on low, add the butter mixture to the dry mix. When just combined, add in the sour cream mixture.
- Pour the batter into a prepared* 18x13" baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake is cooking, make the frosting by adding the butter, cocoa powder and milk to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in nuts, if desired.
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake. Allow to cool completely before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Texas Sheet Cake
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Donna Batrone says
I just made this for our block party and it was the first dessert gone! What a huge hit!
Anna says
This is one of my favorite chocolate cakes! The frosting never disappoints. It’s delicious!
Allyssa says
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
JR says
Made this tonight it was delicious, and it is replacing our old Texas Sheet Cake Recipe. Thank you, Mama!!!!