Texas Sheet Cake: Chocolatey, Fudgy & Iconic.

If everything is truly bigger in Texas, this cake earned its name not just from the size of the pan, but from its massive, crowd-pleasing personality. Texas Sheet Cake is a staple of Southern hospitality, famous for its thin, tender crumb and a signature “boiled” chocolate frosting that is poured over the cake while it’s still hot from the oven.

The result is a dessert that blurs the line between a brownie and a cake. It’s rich, decadently moist, and designed to feed a small army, making it the ultimate choice for potlucks, funerals, or big family Sundays.¹

The “Sheet Cake” Blueprint

What sets this apart from a standard chocolate cake is the stovetop method and the ratio of frosting to sponge.

Feature	Texas Sheet Cake	Standard Chocolate Cake
Preparation	Butter and cocoa are boiled first	Creaming butter and sugar
Texture	Dense, fudgy, and thin	Airy, light, and tall
Frosting	Poured warm (glaze-style)	Spread cold (aerated buttercream)
The Pan	Jelly Roll Pan ($18 \times 13$ inches)	Round layers or 9×13-inch pan

Ingredients

The Cake Base

2 cups All-purpose flour²
2 cups Granulated sugar³
1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted butter⁴
1 cup Water⁵
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Buttermilk (room temperature)⁶
2 large Eggs⁷
1 tsp Baking soda⁸
1 tsp Vanilla extract

The Warm Fudge Icing

1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted butter
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup Whole milk
3–4 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Chopped pecans (the traditional “Texas” garnish)⁹

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The Stovetop Start

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).10 Grease a large jelly roll pan (11$15 \times 10$ or 12$18 \times 13$ inches).13

In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of water, and 1/4 cup of cocoa. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from heat immediately.

2. The Batter Assembly

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Pour the hot butter mixture over the flour and whisk until smooth.

The Pro Secret: Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla last. The buttermilk provides a subtle tang that balances the sugar and reacts with the baking soda to create a tiny, tender lift in such a thin cake.¹⁴

3. The Quick Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Because the cake is so thin, it bakes incredibly fast. Bake for 18–22 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean.

4. The “Boiled” Icing

About 5 minutes before the cake is done, start the icing. In the same saucepan (no need to wash it!), combine the 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, and milk. Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and pecans until smooth and glossy.

5. The Magic Pour

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the hot icing over the hot cake.

Use a spatula to spread it quickly to the edges. The heat from the cake allows the frosting to “sink in” slightly, creating a fudgy interface between the layers.

Flavor and Texture Notes

Texas Sheet Cake is the definition of “melt-in-your-mouth.” Because it’s thin, you get a perfect ratio of frosting to cake in every single forkful.

The flavor is a deep, nostalgic chocolate—not quite as bitter as dark chocolate, but more complex than a standard milk chocolate thanks to the toasted pecans and the tang of the buttermilk. The frosting sets into a crackly, fudge-like shell on top while remaining soft underneath.

Tips and Variations

The Nut-Free Version: If you have allergies or just aren’t a fan of pecans, simply omit them. The cake is still iconic without them.
The Cinnamon Twist: Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a subtle “Mexican Hot Chocolate” vibe.
Peanut Butter Swap: For a “Texas Peanut Butter Sheet Cake,” replace the cocoa in the frosting with 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter and use a yellow cake base.
Storage: This cake is famously better on day two! It stays incredibly moist for 4–5 days when covered at room temperature.

FAQ

Why do I have to pour the icing while the cake is hot?

If the cake cools, the icing will sit on top like a slab. When the cake is hot, the pores are open, allowing the icing to fuse with the top layer of the sponge. This is what creates that signature fudgy texture.

Can I use a regular 9×13 pan?

You can, but the baking time will increase to about 30–35 minutes. Keep in mind that part of the “Texas” charm is how thin and easy to slice the cake is in a larger pan.

My icing is too stiff. What do I do?

If the icing is too thick to pour, whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk until it reaches a “lava-like” consistency.

Conclusion

Texas Sheet Cake is more than a dessert; it’s a piece of Americana. It is unpretentious, effortless to make, and impossible to resist. It’s the kind of cake that makes people ask for the recipe before they’ve even finished their first piece.