Original Texas Sheet Cake
Original Texas Sheet Cake is a tried-and-true, quick chocolate cake recipe that never fails! Moist chocolate cake topped with a delicious chocolate pecan icing!
This single layer, vintage Southern chocolate cake always a crowd pleaser and ready in about 40 minutes! Perfect for family reunions, potluck dinners and large gatherings.
As a native Texan, I’ve had this sheet cake at plenty of family reunions and church potluck dinners!
The simplicity of the ingredients is probably what helped this chocolate recipe to prevail throughout the years.
Texas Sheet Cake History
I found this Texas chocolate cake recipe scribbled on the back of a Kilgore Bank deposit slip, in a Piggly Wiggly grocery sack of recipes I inherited from my Grandmother!
Just in case you’re unfamiliar with this small East Texas town, it is not only full or rich oil folks, but also home to the world famous Kilgore College Rangerettes!
From the looks of the newspaper clippings and other recipes in the bag, this version dates back to around 1968.
The origin of the Texas Sheet Cake is somewhat a mystery.
Food historians and librarians discovered publications as early as 1936, where it appeared Galveston Daily News and in again in 1967, in the Huntsville Heritage Cookbook (out of Alabama, not Texas.)
By the 1950’s, this popular dessert was widely known in the South as “Texas Sheath or Sheet” Cake.
My research indicates that there was a discrepancy over whether it was called “sheet” or “sheath.”
There are a variety of names for this Southern chocolate classic dessert: “Sheath”, Brownie or Brownie Sheet, and plain old Sheet Cake.
Early recipes used buttermilk as an ingredient; however, today, there are versions that use sour cream in lieu of buttermilk. This version uses buttermilk.
Some versions include a dash of ground cinnamon. This Texas chocolate sheetcake is made without cinnamon. If you want to add a little, go ahead.
Why this recipe works
Who doesn’t love chocolate cake? I usually serve this after a dinner of fried catfish, collard greens and macaroni and cheese!
- Easy – three simple steps
- All-natural ingredients – no boxed mix with additives, preservatives or fillers
- Keep in mind, this thin chocolate dessert yields about 16-20 slices, so, if you’re serving a large group, you might want to double the recipe.
Here’s what you’ll need for the sheet cake
The Original recipe says to bake this on a jelly roll pan. If you don’t have one, use a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Flour: all-purpose
- Sugar; you’ll need granulated for the batter and confectioner’s (powdered sugar) for the frosting
- Buttermilk: 2% or whole fat
- Eggs: large
- Baking Soda: make sure it’s fresh
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder
- This Texas sheetcake does not contain cinnamon. Some sheetcake recipes do, but my Grandmother’s recipe doesn’t. If you want to add a dash of cinnamon, go right on ahead!
Recipe Tip
If you use a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, the Texas Sheet Cake has a tendency to swell in the center so, when you add the chocolate pecan icing, it runs to the sides. For this reason, I strongly recommend using a jelly roll pan.
How to make the Original Texas Sheet Cake
Step-by-step instructions for this easy chocolate cake recipe:
Combine flour and sugar in large mixing bowl; set aside. Meanwhile, bring a cup of water to boil.
In a saucepan on low heat, combine butter, cocoa; add the cup of boiling water and cook a few minutes then pour this mixture into the flour/sugar mixture
In a separate small bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract; stir this up and pour it into the big bowl of flour/sugar/chocolate mixture; combine well and pour into an ungreased baking pan
After you add the cocoa sauce to the sugar/flour mixture, it will look something like this. Combine together well.
To finish the batter, add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla to the batter.
Here’s what you’ll need for the chocolate pecan icing
Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar, chopped pecans, cocoa powder, milk, butter and vanilla extract.
How to make the chocolate pecan icing
How to tell when it’s done
The original recipe says to bake in a non-greased pan, uncovered @ 350ºF about 20-minutes. My oven is old and slow, so it took mine about 40-minutes to bake.
Check it at 20-minutes, then if it’s not done, check it in 10-minute increments.
Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center. When it comes out “clean,”it’s done!
FAQ
A jelly roll pan (also known as a half-pan) is a rectangular baking pan usually 18 x 12 and has one-inch sides.
If you don’t have one, use a baking sheet with sides or a 9 x 13 baking dish.
This chocolate dessert does beautifully when made ahead!
Consider storing the it in the fridge (covered) and making the icing the day you plan to serve or, make the batter and icing in advance, store in fridge, and reheat icing prior to serving.
For best results, let the chocolate pecan icing cool on the cake before serving.
Nut allergies
This Original recipe has pecans in the icing, however, if you’re serving to a large group where some might have allergies to nuts, simply eliminate them from the recipe, or serve chopped pecans on the side.
Reheating leftover Chocolate Pecan Sauce
This chocolate pecan icing recipe makes about 1 cup, which is plenty to cover the sheetcake; however, if you have any leftover, refrigerate it.
You can easily reheat it on the stove or in the microwave to drizzle a little over a slice.
This Original Texas Sheet Cake is always welcome (and popular) at family reunions and picnics!
Related recipes:
- Tex-Mex Sour Cream Sauce
- Texas Chili Recipe
- Southern Sweet Tea
- Southern Potato Salad
- Classic Pecan Pie
- Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
- No Bake Lemon Icebox Pie
- Orange Creamsicle Icebox Pie
- Chewy Texas Pecan Pralines
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you!
Original Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups flour , all-purpose
- 2 cups sugar , granulated
- 1¼ cup water , boiling (see recipe notes)
- 2 sticks butter , melted; salted or unsalted
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder , unsweetened
- ½ cup buttermilk , 2% or whole
- 2 whole eggs , lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 stick butter , melted
- ⅓ cup cocoa
- 6 tablespoons milk , 2% or whole; (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Bring one cup of water to boil1¼ cup water
- In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; set aside2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar
- In a saucepan, melt butter; add cocoa and add 1 cup of boiling water; combine well; pour this chocolate mixture into flour/sugar mixture; combine well and set aside1¼ cup water, 2 sticks butter, ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- In a separate bowl, combine lightly beaten eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla; add this to the flour/sugar/chocolate mixture; combine well½ cup buttermilk, 2 whole eggs, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour batter into ungreased baking pan; bake uncovered @350 for 20-30 minutes, or until center is done
Frosting Instructions
- While the cake is baking, melt butter sauce pan; once melted, add cocoa, milk, vanilla, powdered sugar and pecans; combine well; set aside on the lowest temperature1 stick butter, ⅓ cup cocoa, 6 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Remove cake from oven and drizzle warm frosting over cake; garnish with additional raw pecans
- Allow to cool a bit before serving
Notes
- This cake turns out best when baked in an 18 x 13 jelly roll pan. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, use a 9 x 13 baking dish. The pecan frosting may pool around the perimeter of the cake in a 9 x 13 pan because the cake rises when baked in a glass baking dish.
- Boil 1 1/4 cups of water-you’ll only use one cup, but that extra 1/4 cup will dissipate.
- This is a relatively thin cake, (when made in a jelly roll pan) not thick like an angel food cake.
- You’ll get 12-16 servings out of this recipe
- If you’re serving a large number of people, you may want to double the recipes and bake two pans of this delicious dessert!
- Out of milk? Use 1/2 evaporated milk and 1/2 water as a substitute for the milk.
- The cake batter does not contain pecans, but you can add some if you like
Do you refrigerate this cake once it is cooled?
I just let it cool at room temperature – enough for the frosting to set.
Been making this. For. Years. So easy. Made it for family reunions.always a hit.
Taking this to our next family reunion! Delicious and easy recipe!
This is exactly what I remember about my Granny’s house- she always had a big chocolate Texas Sheet cake on the table every time we’d visit! Spot-on recipe! My new “ go-to-vintage-recipe “! Thank you!
My Mom was from Texas and my aunt also from Texas gave her this recipe many years ago. My Mom’s recipe was basically the same except her recipe had a teaspoon of cinnamon in the cake batter. This cake is NOT the same without the cinnamon. Try it and taste the difference. Also use ALL the icing on the cake it makes a big difference to have thicker fudge icing on top. Everyone who tasted my Mom’s Texas sheet cake wanted a second piece and the recipe.
Thanks for sharing! This is my Grandmother’s recipe and we don’t use cinnamon.
I just made this for our Church Potluck and everyone, including myself Loved it!! The Icing was perfect and not overly sweet or rich. I used my Pioneer Woman sheet cake pan which is the sir recommended in the directions and for the Icing, I made a batch and-a-half to go over the cake and it turned out perfect and didn’t run over the sides. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for this recipe ♥️
Thank you, Rauni, for sharing this! I definitely need a sheet cake pan for this recipe! I’m glad everyone enjoyed it!
Will a 1 inch side work.?
Yes! You might have a little chocolate frosting leftover, but you can serve that on the side!
I’ve made this several times. It’s a great cake to take along on a trip, to camp outs, or just for snacking at home!
Thank you, Sandra! I agree!
If no buttermilk is not available will regular milk do?
Yes. Or, you can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon or 2 of fresh lemon juice to milk. Let it sit for awhile, then you have buttermilk!
I just made this Texas sheet cake OMG everyone loved it. I loved to bake anything and everything my aunt wanted this for her birthday and that’s what is got she was so happy that in Oct we are having a family reunion and they order two biggest Texas sheet cakes. Thank you for this recipe.
Thank you very much! I’m glad everyone enjoyed it!