Description
Texas Sheet Cake is a classic Southern dessert featuring a thin, incredibly moist chocolate cake topped with a warm, glossy chocolate frosting. Made with sour cream for extra tenderness and frosted while hot for that signature texture, this easy recipe feeds 24+ people and requires simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings!
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 cup (227 g) butter
- 3 tablespoons (22.5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) milk
- 3 tablespoons (22.5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (115 g) butter
- 3 3/4 cups (450 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your 18×13 inch half-sheet pan really well with butter or cooking spray. Don’t skip this step – you want every slice to release beautifully!
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, and cocoa powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. You’ll see big bubbles breaking the surface. Once it boils, remove it from the heat immediately.
While your chocolate mixture is heating up, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make sure everything is evenly distributed – no pockets of baking soda hiding out!
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and no lumps of sour cream remain. This might take a minute of good whisking, but it’s worth it!
Add your sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Don’t overmix – a few small lumps are fine. Now here comes the magic: immediately pour that hot chocolate mixture right into the batter and mix until completely smooth. The batter will be quite thin, and that’s exactly what you want!
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer, making sure it reaches all the corners. Bake for 15–20 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back lightly when you touch the center. Don’t overbake – this cake stays incredibly moist when baked just right!
When your cake is about halfway through baking, it’s time to make the frosting. In a saucepan, combine the milk, cocoa powder, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Remove the frosting from heat and immediately stir in all the powdered sugar. Whisk like crazy until the frosting is smooth and glossy. If you have any stubborn lumps, use a hand mixer to beat them out. The frosting should be pourable but not watery.
This is THE most important step! As soon as the cake comes out of the oven and while the frosting is still hot, pour that frosting right over the hot cake. Use a spatula to spread it evenly across the entire surface. The heat helps the frosting melt slightly into the cake, creating that signature Texas Sheet Cake texture.
Let the frosted cake sit for about 10 minutes to let the frosting set up. It’ll still be slightly warm and absolutely irresistible. Then slice and serve!
Notes
- Don’t overbake! This cake bakes fast – check it at 15 minutes. It should spring back when touched but still look slightly moist.
- Sift for success: Those lumps in cocoa powder are stubborn. Sifting before you start saves you from lumpy frosting.
- Use room temperature eggs: They’ll incorporate more smoothly into the sour cream mixture.
- Work quickly: Have everything measured and ready to go. This recipe moves fast, especially when it’s time to frost!
- For extra glossy frosting: Add a tiny splash of vanilla extract to the hot frosting before spreading.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American