World’s Best Texas Sheet Cake
This Texas Sheet Cake recipe has been around for at least 30+ years, I see almost the exact same recipe in old cookbooks, new cookbooks and on Pinterest. Well, who doesn’t love chocolate, right? The cake is made totally from scratch and is moist and tastes even better the next day. This makes it a perfect recipe for Sunday dinner dessert or for family reunions.
One thing I wanted to do a few years ago was to test making the cake in a regular 9-inch by 13-inch pan as in your favorite lasagna or cake pan. Yes, you can still make it on a cookie sheet that is a jelly roll size that’s approximately 11-inches by 17-inches. But, a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan is hard to transport in the car. You cover it with plastic wrap or foil and the frosting never looks the same by the time you get to your party.
So, a few years ago I started baking my Texas sheet cake it in a 9-inch by 13-inch lasagna pan that has a metal lid. It was just like the one my mom had when we would take a casserole to a church party years ago. My favorite pan.
Texas Sheet Cake
Who doesn’t love chocolate, right? It’s so moist and yummy, family and friends will ask you for the recipe if they don’t already have it. Just giving you heads up here. If you have a family reunion coming up, your family will love this recipe! I have a printable recipe for you below.
Texas Sheet Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup (butter the original recipe calls for margarine)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter
- 5 tablespoons buttermilk or regular milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped nuts optional
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the pan of choice below. Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl. Bring the butter, cocoa, and water to a boil. Turn the stove off. Add the buttermilk, soda, eggs, and vanilla to the pan with the boiling mixture. Use a hand mixer to combine the flour and sugar in the pan, blend until smooth. Pour into a greased pan.
- Baking time: jelly roll/cookie sheet, 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 9-inch by 13-inch pan, 30-35 minutes
- Grab a medium saucepan and melt the butter, add the cocoa and the milk. Bring to a boil stirring constantly, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and nuts. I make this frosting while the cake is baking and then spread it on the semi-cooled cake.
Cake Recipes by Food Storage Moms
I hope you enjoy this Texas sheet cake recipe as much as my family does. Enjoy!
If your don’t want the plastic wrap to cling to your icing here’s a tip. Use mini marshmallows on a toothpicks to create “tent poles” for the plastic wrap. The toothpicks holes wont be large enough to be noticed.
Hi, Beth, that’s a great idea!!!!! I love it! Linda
The cake calls for flour. Any idea whether one can use gluten free flour to make this cake? My wife is allergic to wheat.
Hi Harry, I would research how to trade white flour for another flour. I know a lot of people would love to know that answer. I wish I could help you! Linda
I have loved this recipe for many many years. One year in school we had to do a report and I
did this cake. Had to show my work then we got to eat it. What a great day in school. I recently
made it for a friend of mine and she couldn’t believe I could mix it and bake it and ice it in less
than a hour. She said it reminded her of her mothers she made the family as they were going up. I
had a lot left for me to eat so I cut a big chunk of it and took it to my work and gave it to a co-worker.
Don’t think it lasted long after she found out what it was.
I do like to add pecans to mine too.
Hi, June, I think I’m going to have a Piece for breakfast! It’s so yummy the next day! I think I have made it so many years without pecans because we couldn’t afford them. I better step up my game! Hugs! Linda
Oh, my goodness! I have been making this recipe since I was 16 years old after my Great Grandmother told me she had been making it since she was married. My Great Grandmother passed away in 1962 at the age of 102. So, this has been around more than 30 years. It truly is the most moist cake I have ever had and everyone in Texas is very familiar with it.
Love your emails — always learn something or reminds me of something I think I had forgotten.
Hi Micki, oh how I love hearing this! You great grandmother lived to be 102 years! Wow, that’s awesome! Isn’t awesome to rekindle some of our old family recipes? They bring us all such joy! Have a great day! Linda
So true!
We’ve made this cake for over 35 years. We love it. Our old recipe had sour cream in it. Was way to dry. Buttermilk definitely keeps it moist and even more yummy.
Hi, Judy, I know this cake has been around for years!! I made one yesterday and put it on Instagram. God grief, 1/3 of the cake is gone and only two people live here! LOL! Linda
The recipe I have is called the Best Chocolate Cake Ever, and is almost the same, except it has 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in it. SO GOOD!! I love all your recipes and tips. Keep up the Good Work. THANKS Carol
Hi Carol, WHAT??? I have got to try 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in my next chocolate cake recipe!! Thanks for the great tip! Cinnamon is yummy! Linda