Best Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

I’ve been making Texas Sheet Cake since we were first married. Over the years, I’ve made many variations, but this is our favorite version of the popular classic! Keep reading to see why I updated this classic recipe to use butter and sour cream for just the right texture…

If you live in the US and you have been to a large gathering, you’ve probably enjoyed a piece of Texas sheet cake. It’s the easiest dessert to make. All you need are a few staple ingredients, a bowl, a jelly roll pan, and a saucepan for cooking the icing.

When this cake first became mainstream in the 70’s, it was always served with chopped nuts on top. My favorite way to eat this cake is with nuts on top, but I know many people prefer the no-nut version. If you’d like to add nuts, have them chopped and ready to sprinkle on top as soon as the caked has been frosted!

The beauty of this easy-to-make dessert is that you frost the cake while it’s still warm! Also, since the cake is not thick, it takes very little time to cool and eat. No checking to see if the cake is perfectly level. No worries about the cake sticking to the pan. I use a sheet of parchment on the bottom of the pan and spray it lightly with cooking spray to prevent any sticking. The cake is frosted and served straight out of the pan. I like to eat this cake while still slightly warm!

Best Texas Sheet Cake is the perfect dessert for family parties, team events, and camping trips. It can be made days in advance and frozen. You can pull it out shortly before you’re ready to serve; because it’s thin, it thaws quickly. This cake is super moist and travels well when covered. I love to use plastic covers that are made to snap onto jelly roll pans. If you live in SLC, head to Orson Gygi to pick up one (or more)! If not, they are available here.

How to make our Best Texas Sheet Cake recipe:

• Mix flour and sugar together
• Bring cocoa, water, and butter to a boil
• Combine flour and butter mixtures
• Mix in remaining ingredients
• Bake and make icing while cake is baking
• Pour frosting over warm cake, let cool a bit and enjoy

Most recipes for Texas sheet cake call for buttermilk. I’ve tested dozens of recipes over the years for classic Texas sheet cake, made with buttermilk. Most of those recipes came from Junior League or church cookbooks. All were delicious, but I wanted a texture that was a little more like a cross between a brownie and a cake.

I turned to sour cream instead of buttermilk and used all butter instead of a margarine and oil combination. The sour cream gives the cake a little more of a dense texture. It’s not as dense as a brownie, but more dense than most Texas sheet cakes. After loads of experiments over the years, this all-butter Best Texas Sheet Cake is my go-to recipe!

Best Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

4.80 from 10 votes

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Author: Si Foster

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

frost and cool: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Servings: 24

This updated classis recipe uses butter and sour cream for just the right taste and texture.

Ingredients 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water (if humid environment, use 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat is best)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup milk (skim, 2%, whole)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

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Instructions

• CAKE
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rack in the center of the oven. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine flour and granulated sugar. Set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan, bring butter, cocoa powder, and water to a boil on medium heat, stirring continuously. Pour over the flour and sugar mixture. Using a heavy-duty whisk or wooden spoon, stir until blended.
• Add sour cream, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir just until all ingredients are incorporated and no lumps remain in the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or just until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the middle.
• ICING
• In a large saucepan, bring butter, milk, and cocoa powder to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and let the icing cool slightly.
• Frost while the cake is still warm. If desired, sprinkle nuts on top right after frosting.

Notes

• Jelly roll pans vary in size from 15.5×10.5 inches to 17×12 inches. I generally use a pan that measures 17×12 inches.
• Each oven is different. My oven bakes this cake in 18-20 minutes. If your oven bakes hot, bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or just until cake springs back when touched lightly in middle. 
• This dessert can be made just before serving or up to two days ahead if covered. I think this dessert is best served either slightly warm or on the second day! 

Equipment

• 1 heavy saucepan (large)
• 1 jelly roll pan