Texas Sheet Cake
A crowd-pleasing dessert that combines chocolate and ease, baked in one large pan with a fudgy frosting on top, perfect for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a large sheet pan.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Whisk well so the cocoa dissolves into the dry mix.
- In another bowl, mix together buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in boiling water until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
Baking
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frosting
- While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by melting butter in a saucepan. Stir in cocoa powder and milk, bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
- Once the cake has cooled slightly, pour the frosting over the cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.
Cooling and Serving
- Allow the cake to cool before serving, letting the frosting firm a bit.
- Serve family-style and pair with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fresh berries.
Notes
You can use boxed cake mix for a quicker version. If you don’t have buttermilk, use a mixture of milk and vinegar. Nuts are optional and can be substituted with mini chocolate chips.