Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
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This dense and fudgy chocolate Texas sheet cake is covered in a crackly chocolate icing that’s loaded with pecan pieces on top of every bite. It is easily one of the simplest chocolate cakes you could ever make, and it’s perfect for entertaining or feeding a crowd.
What is Texas Sheet Cake?
If you have never laid your tastebuds on Texas sheet cake, ohhh my friend, your chocolate cake-loving self has not lived. I am not exaggerating this is in the least.
So if you’ve never had it, it’s magic in a sheet pan. Ok, there you go. Now go make it.
Just kidding.
But really, I do want you to get to making it ASAP, so I’ll talk (type?) as little as I can as to minimize the time between reading and devouring eating.
Texas sheet cake may or may not have come from Texas, but I really don’t care where it came from, because it can happen in my kitchen and that’s all that matters. Apparently, it’s a staple in Texan hospitality. In short, I’m thinking I need to move there if it means people will be bringing me this cake on the reg.
This cake really is just a chocolate cake that is so incredibly stupid simple to make, can travel well, and can make a lot/feed a crowd. What more could you ask for in a dessert? Not much.
Lucky for us, this cake delivers not only in convenience but also in taste, texture, and overall level of chocolatiness. On a scale of 1 to 10 on the chocolatey scale, we’re working with a 12 here, folks.
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
While Texas sheet cake is typically pretty standard across the board, this particular recipe is made with sour cream which prevents the cake from drying out. This cake is dense, and the sour cream helps bring that “melt-in-your-mouth” quality that keeps you coming back for more.
Aside from sour cream, you’ll also need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, butter, coffee*, vanilla, and eggs. You’ll use some of these ingredients for the icing, too, but you’ll need milk, powdered sugar, and (optional but very encouraged) pecans to round out your ingredient list.
*WILL MY CAKE TASTE LIKE COFFEE?
No, your cake will not taste like coffee. I use coffee in my chocolate cake all the time, and it’s there as a flavor enhancer for the chocolate. If you’re worried about caffeine, you can absolutely use decaf. If you want to do away with the coffee altogether, just use water. But I promise, even if you don’t like coffee, you’ll still love this cake.
How to make Texas Sheet Cake
This cake really is so simple to make. The cake batter comes together in a saucepan (there’s a little cooking involved) and then baked in a sheet pan. Once it’s out of the oven, you’ll pour a hot, cooked icing on top, so there’s no removing cake layers from pans, trimming them, stacking them, and frosting them. Everything happens in the same pan and that’s the gloriousness that is chocolate Texas sheet cake.
MAKE THE CAKE BATTER
STEP #1: start by whisking together your flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
STEP #2: next, you’ll start working on the stovetop where you’ll melt butter, coffee, and a touch of vanilla together in a large saucepan.
STEP #3: once the butter/coffee/vanilla mixture boils, remove it from the heat and stir in the flour mixture.
STEP #4: add the sour cream and eggs and mix until everything is combined and the batter is smooth.
STEP #5: pour the batter into a 9″ x 13″ pan, and bake for 20-22 minutes.
WHEN THE CAKE HAS ABOUT 5 MINUTES LEFT TO BAKE…
STEP #6: make the icing! Using a medium size saucepan, combine the butter, milk, and vanilla extract then heat everything over medium-high heat and allow it to come to a boil.
STEP #7: remove the saucepan from the heat, then quickly stir in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until the icing is smooth. Add about ½ cup of the chopped pecans and reserve the rest for topping the cake.
STEP #8: when the cake is finished baking, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the warm icing over the hot cake. Working quickly (again) but carefully, gently spread the icing into an even layer over the cake. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chopped pecans on top, then let the icing set before serving.
Hot cake + warm icing = a crackly finish that literally melts in your mouth.
If you can manage to wait, not drool all over your cake, and wait until just the right moment to slice into this warm Texas sheet cake, you will be met with the most lovely of textures, the moistest of chocolatey bites, a fudgy and nutty icing to top off every sliver, and a huge pat on your back because you just made an incredible cake that will come in handy for years to come.
You. Will. Love. This. Cake. It’s basically like making a huge brownie, but can also cater to the cake lovers and general chocolate lovers of the world. And since it’s made in one pan, it’s seriously easy for carting to picnics, potlucks, and gifting to friends who just had a baby.
Just be sure to include the recipe, because I can almost guarantee folks will be asking you for it.
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake with Pecans
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 2 cups (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature and cut into 12 slices
- 1 cup (240mL) coffee room temperature; you can also use water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) full fat sour cream or Greek yogurt; room temperature1
- 2 large eggs room temperature1
CHOCOLATE PECAN ICING
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter room temperature and cut into 4 slices
- 6 Tablespoons (90mL) milk any, but I prefer whole cow
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (90g) coarsely chopped pecans divided
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (170ºC) Spray a 9" x 13" sheet pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 2 cups (200g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a medium size saucepan, combine the butter, coffee, and vanilla extract. Heat over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.12 Tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (240mL) coffee, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Once boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the flour mixture with a large spatula until mostly combined (it's ok if there are some flour pockets left at this point).
- Add the sour cream and the eggs, then stir again until everything is combined and the batter is smooth.½ cup (120g) full fat sour cream, 2 large eggs
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When the cake has about 5 minutes remaining to bake, prepare the icing.
CHOCOLATE PECAN ICING
- In a medium size saucepan, combine the butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Heat over medium-high heat and allow to come to a boil.¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, 6 Tablespoons (90mL) milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until the icing is smooth. Add ½ cup of the chopped pecans (this does not need to be perfect– you can eyeball ⅔ of the mixture).4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup (90g) coarsely chopped pecans
- When the cake is finished, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the warm icing over the hot cake. Working quickly but carefully, gently spread the icing into an even layer over the cake. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chopped pecans on top. Let the icing set before serving (about 30 minutes). Cake will stay fresh covered tightly at room temperature up to 5 days. Cake freezes well, up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: it is always best practice to use room temperature ingredients when using room temperature butter. This helps the ingredients incorporate into the batter more easily.
- Halve the recipe: this recipe halves easily. Bake in an 8″ or 9″ square baking pan. Bake time is 18-20 minutes.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Oh my word, look! I have not lived! This looks so good – I mean like seriously, who doesn’t love a chocolate cake with pecans and chocolate icing? Never had it before, but looks like I need to fix that! 😉
Yesssss, you most certainly do!
Can you cut the cake into squares to make it easier to travel with?
Of course!
Yes, yes and YES! I love cake, all cake, including sheet cake! After visiting Texas last year, I have a soft spot for any recipe that reminds me of this awesome place. I love this! Especially nuts on top. Just yum.
Yes, SO much yum!!
Okay, um…..YUM! I need to get some Texas sheet cake in my life right now! The pecans in the frosting, the chocolate, chocolate, chocolate everywhere – this is definitely my kind of cake! Also, I love that you can freeze the frosted cake! Midnight freezer raids are about to get an upgrade 😉
YEP! Dangerous, for sure, hahaha. There is definitely NO shortage of chocolate going on in this cake!
I never have tried a texas sheet cake before but I definitely think I have been missing out on something seriously delicious!
Thalia, you definitely have! You gotta try it!
I could do some delightful damage to this decadent cake. Looks awesome!
Haha, ohhh yes. For sure!
Wow this looks amazing, can’t wait to try making it!
Thank you, Lucy! 🙂
LOVE this, Lynn! My mom has a killer Texas Sheet Cake recipe that I’ve been meaning to convert to gluten-free for YEARS now. I think this is just the inspiration i needed 🙂 I LOVE the addition of coffee – and the topping? OMG. My mom always served hers with a simple buttercream or chocolate frosting, but this looks waaaay more deloghtful! YUMMMM.
Honestly, Leah… I think ANY frosting would go well on Texas sheet cake. Seriously. Something about that super moist and dense yet soft texture is just screaming for anything!! I’m actually thinking about whipping up a peanut butter version soon… I think a GF version should happen in your kitchen ASAP!
Super chocolatey, moist, and contains coffee? You’ve managed to make my most hated dessert! 😉 Tucking this one away for future potlucks and parties though, for sure — I definitely accept that I am the odd one out when it comes to my dessert preferences!
Haha, oh, Julie… You and your dislike of (some of) the things I love! At least I know if we were ever roomies, we’d never have a problem with stealing food, haha.
This frosting makes me think of fudge. Can this recipe for frosting also double as a fudge recipe?
Hi, Gina– I would not use this recipe for fudge as the ratios are not correct for making candy.