Aunt Dorothy’s Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

Name: Aunt Dorothy's Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter; 1 cup water; 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 eggs; ½ cup sour cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ cup unsalted butter; 6 tablespoons milk; 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 cups powdered sugar; 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

by Michelle
published June 25, 2020

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4.25 (57 ratings)

This classic Texas sheet cake is the absolute best and so easy to make. It’s a delicious chocolate cake recipe baked in a jelly roll pan and covered in a fudge-like chocolate frosting with chopped pecans. It’s rich and indulgent and perfect for feeding a crowd, which makes it a great choice for parties and potlucks, and it just so happens to be our family’s cake of choice for celebrating birthdays.

Many years ago, when my grandma passed away, friends and family members delivered food to my mom’s house. Among the fried chicken, roasted chicken, potatoes, deli platters, buns, and cookie trays was this new-to-me gem. My great aunt had whipped up and sent over a Texas Sheet Cake. I ate a little bit of it for days; it was amazingly delicious, and it soothed my soul. Once things had settled down, I made it my business to get this recipe from my aunt.

I’m so glad that it’s part of my recipe arsenal, and it will always remind me of celebrating my grandma’s life and all the love she gave.

I’ve made a couple of small tweaks to my aunt’s recipe over the years and have now settled on this fabulous version as our family’s absolute favorite.

Her original recipe called for vegetable shortening (which I think is customary in many original Texas sheet cake recipes), but I’ve replaced it with butter, added an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder in the cake and frosting, and upped the amount of butter in the frosting by a couple of tablespoons. Just a few minor modifications, but I think they make a world of difference!

Why is it called Texas sheet cake?

There is no definitive answer as to the history of the name “Texas sheet cake”, but there are a few theories floating around…

Some surmise that it’s because the cake huge like the size of Texas, while others maintain it’s because the cake is incredibly rich, and still others point to similarities to a recipe published in the Dallas Morning News in 1957 that became wildly popular.

The best pan to use

As its name suggests, we’re going to use a sheet pan to make this cake recipe. By definition, a “sheet pan” is any large rectangular cake pan, such as a jelly roll pan (which measures 10×15 inches) or a half sheet pan (which measures 13×18 inches).

For this particular recipe, we’re going to use a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan.

How to make the cake and frosting

One of the hallmarks of Texas sheet cake is that part of the cake batter as well as the frosting is cooked in a saucepan.

Are you ready for the easiest cake-making ever? Here we go!

Make the Cake

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the water and cocoa powder, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, and whisk to combine.
Add the chocolate mixture, then gently whisk to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Pour into the pan. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
Bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick inserted in the center has moist crumbs attached, 18 to 22 minutes.

Make the Frosting

It’s important to begin the frosting as soon as the cake comes out of the oven. You want the warm frosting to be spread on the warm cake for the ultimate Texas sheet cake experience!

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
Add the milk and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
Whisk in the vanilla extract and cocoa powder until smooth.
Stir in the chopped nuts, if using.
Spread in an even layer over top of the warm cake.

Recipe tips for Texas sheet cake

Below are some extra notes to make sure your cake turns out wonderfully!

Cocoa Powder: You can use your favorite cocoa powder in this recipe. I always reach for my regular unsweetened cocoa powder, but Dutch-process cocoa would work, too.
Sour cream: You can substitute buttermilk or plain yogurt for the sour cream.
Nuts: Traditional Texas sheet cake contains chopped pecans, but walnuts are also a popular option. You can omit them entirely, as well.
Storage: The cake should be covered and will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days, but can also be refrigerated (covered) for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions: This cake freezes very well! Once you frost it and let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month.

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Many recipes, foods, and even smells can conjure up strong memories, and this cake will forever do that for me. I hope you’ll create special memories with it as well!

If you make this recipe and love it, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️