Go Back
texas-chocolate-sheet-cake-cake-from-the-food-charlatan_feature

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake: The Ultimate Crowd-Pleasing Dessert

Discover why this Texas chocolate sheet cake has earned its reputation as the perfect party dessert with its moist crumb, rich chocolate flavor, and decadent fudgy frosting. The addition of sour cream creates an exceptionally tender texture that sets this sheet cake apart from ordinary chocolate cakes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan or a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
  4. Remove from heat and pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
  5. In a separate small bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract.
  6. Add this to the cake batter and mix until smooth and well incorporated.
  7. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by combining butter, cocoa powder, and milk in a medium saucepan.
  10. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
  11. Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. If using nuts, stir them in at this point.
  12. Once the cake is out of the oven, immediately pour the warm frosting over the hot cake.
  13. Use a spatula to spread it evenly across the surface.
  14. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Notes

Choose the right pan: A jelly roll pan gives traditional thin Texas sheet cake texture, while a 9x13-inch pan creates thicker cake. Don't overmix the batter. Use room temperature eggs and sour cream. Pour warm frosting over hot cake immediately for signature fudgy texture.