Traditional Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake is soft and fluffy and frosted with classic Texas Sheet Cake Frosting. It bakes in a half sheet pan that feeds a crowd.
1cup butter, cut into pieces*I use salted, but unsalted works, just add 1 full teaspoon of salt instead of the 3/4 tsp the recipe calls for
1cupwarm water
1/3cupcocoa powder
2largeeggs
1/2cupsour cream
1tspvanilla extract
2cups all purpose flour
1 1/4cupswhite sugar
3/4cupslight brown sugar. firmly packed
1tspbaking soda
3/4tspsalt
The Frosting (do not make your frosting while the cake bakes - it needs to be warm and fresh for pouring on the cake)
1/3cup2% or whole milk
1/2cupbutter, cut into pieces*salted or unsalted is fine
1/3cupcocoa powder
1tspvanilla extract
5cupspowdered sugar*see notes
Instructions
The Cake
Preheat oven to 350° Grease a half sheet pan or jelly roll pan.
In a small/medium saucepan add your butter, warm water and cocoa powder. Heat on low heat, whisking it and letting it heat until the butter is melted and combined fully with the water and cocoa. Once the butter is melted, raise the heat to medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat once it comes to a slow boil. LET IT COOL FOR 15 MINUTES - SET A TIMER!
In a medium/large mixing bowl, measure your dry ingredients (flour, white and brown sugar, baking soda and salt). Mix together.
In another medium/large mixing bowl, add your wet ingredients (eggs, sour cream and vanilla). Whisk it together until fully combined.
Mix your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Keep stirring and mixing until all of the dry ingredients are fully mixed and there are no dry spots in the batter. It will be thicker, more like a cookie dough.
After the chocolate mixture has cooled for 15 minutes, pour it into the cake batter mixture and mix well.
Pour the cake batter into the greased half sheet pan. Bake it for 18-22 minutes. Mine bakes for 21 minutes. You will know it is done when a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle. *If using a jelly roll pan, the cake will be slightly thicker and may need to bake for a few extra minutes.TIP: You can also tell it is done when the middle is set and doesn't "jiggle" if the pan is gently tapped. The center of the cake should look like the outside edges and will be sponge-like and bumpy (not smooth). See photo above in blog post.
Take the cake out of the oven to cool slightly and then make your frosting! DO NOT MAKE YOUR FROSTING WHILE THE CAKE BAKES! The frosting needs to be warm and fresh for pouring on the cake, so you will make it while the cake cools for a few minutes.
Frosting
In a medium saucepan, melt your butter with your milk over medium-low heat. Whisk it occasionally. Once the mixture is melted and is starts steaming (not boiling) remove from heat.
Add the vanilla and cocoa powder and whisk until combined.
Add your powdered sugar and mix until smooth and fully combined.
Immediately pour the frosting on to your warm cake and let it spread smooth. Spread it out evenly over the cake. WORK FAST! The frosting will set fast and will leave marks as you frost it after about 30 seconds! So if you want it perfectly smooth work fast!
Let the frosting "set" for about 45 minutes to 1 hour before cutting/slicing and serving. I cut mine into 20 pieces but you can cut them bigger or smaller for more or less pieces of cake.
Enjoy the cake, cover tightly to store for up to 4 days!
Notes
I use a half sheet pan for this cake. (See blog post above for the ones I have and love). You can use a jelly roll pan that measures a bit smaller than a half sheet pan. The cake will be a bit thicker in a smaller pan so the cake may need to bake a few more minutes- watch it closely.For a smooth frosting, sift your powdered sugar. This is not necessary but if you want your frosting smooth, you may want to do it. Measure it first, then sift it.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.