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Texas Sheet Cake beats them all, it truly is the best cake. As an added bonus it’s a cake I can make, from scratch, that’s always a hit! Plus it’s so big that taking it to a party or sending it somewhere for snacks means there’s enough to go around!

I’m pretty well known for my Texas Sheet Cake Cookies but now lookout, I’m making the cake too! And who wouldn’t? It’s kinda perfect. Super soft and tender, and coated with a chocolaty icing!

Texas Sheet Cake is the kind of cake you make straight out of the pantry too. You don’t need any special supplies, you don’t even need chocolate, just cocoa powder! So when life hands you a reason to make cake, you can make it easier!

Texas Sheet Cake is WEIRD too

I mean you BOIL water and butter together to make this thing. It kind of seems like an impossible cake recipe. But then, in the end, it’s one of the most tender cakes I’ve ever made. Or eaten.

And the icing? You pour it over the hot cake, while it’s still hot as well. Then you just leave it to see up. Omgosh the things that happen when you pour hot icing on the hot cake, we’re talking some weird almost third layer in there where the cake and icing meet. You just need to try it out for yourself and see!

If you’re like me and you want to read more about the sheet cake and their history check out this article about them. And then there is this article where it’s called a Sheath Cake, which I also found interesting.

More Sheet Cake Recipes

Try this Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe, ohhh the icing is fantastic! Or this Coca-Cola Cake is a sheet cake with coke frosting!!

the last of the icing for a texas sheet cake

A Cake I Can’t Screw Up!

Believe me, I have made a lot of bad cakes in my life. It’s probably my biggest disappointment as a baker. Especially as the baker behind the GBBO Bake-Along Group on Facebook. Their own leader can’t make a cake to save her life until NOW that is!

About your Texas Sheet Cake:

you will need a sheet pan that is 18×13 inches, with sides at least an inch tall
do NOT grease your pan, it doesn’t need it!
I made this a Nut Free Texas Sheet Cake because I don’t like nuts in icing BUT if you like nuts, chop up 1/2 cup of pecans and toss them in the icing
be sure to sift the powdered sugar or at least run it through a sieve to get rid of the lumps or you will have lumpy bumpy icing

Texas Sheet Cake

5 from 7 votes

Course: Dessert Recipes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 50

Servings: servings

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Laura

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter unsalted
1 cup boiling water
5 TBSP cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk scant 1/2 cup, you’re making it sour by adding vinegar
2 tsp vinegar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda

Icing

1 3/4 sticks butter 14 TABLESPOONS
1/2 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
5 TBSP cocoa powder
6 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

cake instructions

preheat oven to 350˚
stir the flour, sugar, and salt together, set aside
melt butter over medium heat, whisk in boiling water and cocoa, bring to a quick boil, just 30 seconds or so
pour the butter mixture over the flour, stir to combine, set aside to cool a little
meanwhile measure the milk out, add the vinegar, let it sour
lightly beat the eggs
mix the eggs, sour milk, vanilla, and baking soda together
pour into the flour butter mix, stir to combine
pour in an ungreased 18X13 pan
bake 20 minutes
while the cake is baking make the icing so you can pour it on the cake while it’s still hot