This is one of my absolute favorritteeeee recipes of all time, and I know I always say I’m excited to share recipes but this one, this is a keeper. I don’t know why it’s called Texas Sheet Cake, and honestly, I don’t really care. All you need to know is that the next time you need a recipe to bring to a party, or make for family coming to town, or just plain want to treat yourself to something delicious, this recipe is it.
This was originally my Grandma Lily’s recipe. Her and my grandpa ran a catering company in Kalamazoo, and she cooked there it for over 30 years. Since it’s an older recipe, it’s a bit unique.
Why is this recipe so special?
- This recipe is different because it’s made mostly on the stove. I’ve heard of ‘one-pot recipes’ before, but they’re usually savory. All of the wet ingredients come together on the stove before being poured over the dry, which makes this recipe unique and easy!
- Like the cake itself, the icing is made on the stove. It sets quickly and is somewhere between a glaze and an icing.
- The last reason this recipe is so unique is that it uses distilled white as the acid. It sounds kinda gross, but don’t skip this or substitute! It’s a key component to why it ends up so delicious.
This cake is perfect to make for a picnic or anytime you need to bake for a crowd. You’ll use a 9×13 pan, but you can easily double it and bake it in a full-sized sheet pan. I like to do this for work potlucks or large events. It’s not the prettiest dessert but once people try it they’re going to be asking for the recipe, I swear!
This cake is so moist, so buttery and absolutely delectable. I promise you won’t be able to have just one slice! In fact, when my husband is around, I have to strategically hide it or he will eat half of the sheet cake without blinking an eye. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup butter
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk You can also use ½ cup of milk and 1 tsp white vinegar if you don't have buttermilk on hand!
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp vinegar
For the icing:
- ½ cup butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 ½ – 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans (These are optional)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Sift together in a large bowl flour, sugar and salt.
- In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add in cocoa and water and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, pour over flour mixture, beating well until combined.
- Add milk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla and vinegar. Mix well.
- Bake about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When the cake is done, pull from the oven and then you will make the icing!
For the icing:
- In a large saucepan, combine first 3 ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Beat in enough powdered sugar and salt to make a spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla and stir until smooth and creamy, not runny.
- Pour over the sheet cake while warm, but not hot. Sprinkle with nuts if using!
Hi Emily!! This looks so delicious!
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