When I say this is the BEST ever Texas Sheet Cake, I mean it. Baked on a sheet pan, this cake is thin and moist due to the fudge frosting that’s poured all over it. This is a recipe that I will make over and over again – it’s a classic and it’s just so damn good. 

Oh this cake, oh this Texas Sheet Cake. It has me by my heart strings…and my husband’s I might add. I think he may love this cake more than me and I’m not even mad about it, because this cake, is ridiculously good. 

Sometimes cakes can be a bit daunting to make. I get it. This cake, however, is not. There is no baking in separate pans or piping of frosting. It’s simply mixing ingredients, baking then pouring. 

The star of this cake is the fudge frosting – it’s what makes this a real Texas Sheet Cake. The idea behind this cake is to pour warm frosting over a warm cake so that it seeps into the cake making a natural fudge layer. It’s really the best idea ever and it makes so.much.sense. 

I typically don’t love cake warm, I actually prefer it chilled. However, Texas Sheet Cake can be enjoyed warm, cold or room temperature. Because of its fudgy texture and unusual frosting, warming it up is not a bad idea at all – in fact it’s great idea…an even better idea would be to add a scoop of ice cream on top. Now…we have a full-blown dessert. 

I had to give some of it away because I made two of them. I mean hello, the holidays are around the corner and between my husband and me, we just couldn’t control ourselves.

Everyone I shared the cake with truly loved it – they sent texts, they told me in person, my husband alone raved about it enough that I knew this recipe was a keeper. When I get this type of response, I know it’s one of those recipes…those special ones that should be made several times a year because life is too short to not enjoy a little chocolate cake, right? 

Right!

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Yield: 20-24 pieces

Texas Sheet Cake

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A rich and decadent chocolate cake that's drizzled with a fudge frosting.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (try to get the good stuff)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (try to use dark, but regular will work)
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp.
• 2 large eggs, room temp.
• CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup cocoa powder
• 9 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted if possible to prevent lumps (measure then sift)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a jelly roll pan; set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter, water and cocoa powder together stirring often. Bring to a boil. Once it boils, take off heat and let cool for a few minutes then stir in brown sugar and vanilla; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda. Add the warm chocolate mixture to the bowl and stir until smooth.
4. Beat the eggs and the buttermilk together and then pour into the bowl, stiring well until nicely incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes.
5. About half way through the baking, prepare the frosting.
6. To make the frosting sift the powdered sugar first and set aside.
7. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan then whisk in milk and cocoa powder. Bring to a gentle boil for 30 seconds then take off heat. Add vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar. Whisk until no lumps remain. Frosting will start to harden if cooled - if this happens, simply put over low heat and stir until smooth again. It's best to make the frosting right before the cake gets done so that it can be poured right away.
8. Remove cake from oven and let sit for a few minutes then pour frosting over the warm cake. As the cake cools, the frosting will set. Enjoy!