Very little information exists about the origin of Texas sheet cake, also known as Texas cake, Mexican chocolate cake, and Texas sheath cake. Some point to the recipe’s use of pecans and buttermilk as well, and the cake’s large size, as signs of its Texan heritage. Others think that the cake’s wide, flat shape resembles Texas’ topography. Although a Texas sheet cake is large, it’s not as thick as a typical cake. The trademark gooey texture of this cake is achieved by pouring warm frosting over the warm cake. Like most dessert recipes, plenty of variations of sheet cake have been created over the years, but the original chocolate-on-chocolate version remains the most popular.
Recipe Servings: 50
+ 1 hour resting
Ingredients
Cake:
- Shortening, as needed to grease the pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1 cup water
- 3 Tbsp baking cocoa
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter
- 3 Tbsp baking cocoa
- 6 Tbsp milk
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 15 x 10-inch baking pan using the shortening.
- Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Set the mixture aside.
- Combine the butter, water, and baking cocoa in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it over the flour mixture, stirring until well mixed.
- Add the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and eggs, stirring until well blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake the cake for 22–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Combine the butter, baking cocoa, and milk in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
- Remove the mixture from the heat.
- Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla using a whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the pecans.
- Pour the frosting over the warm cake.
- Let the cake cool completely, about 60 minutes, before cutting.
For Cake:
For Frosting:
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