Description
This Best Texas Sheet Cake Recipe offers a moist, rich chocolate cake baked in a single sheet pan and topped with a luscious cocoa buttercream frosting. Perfect for gatherings, this classic Southern treat blends the flavors of cocoa and buttermilk with a tender crumb and a smooth, gooey frosting that hardens slightly to a delightful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 pound confectioners sugar
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a jelly roll pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray for easy cake removal.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute all dry components.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract, whisking gently until smooth.
- Prepare Cocoa Mixture: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with cocoa powder and water, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the boiling cocoa mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Quickly add the wet buttermilk-egg mixture and stir everything together until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a saucepan, melt the butter together with cocoa powder and buttermilk. Stir frequently and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Remove from heat, then stir in the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until the frosting is smooth and glossy.
- Frost the Cake: Pour the warm frosting evenly over the warm cake. Allow the frosting to set and cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for better batter incorporation.
- Substitute buttermilk with milk plus a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar if needed.
- Do not overbake the cake to maintain moisture; check doneness at 20 minutes.
- For a richer flavor, use Dutch-processed cocoa instead of natural cocoa powder.
- If frosting thickens too much before spreading, gently rewarm it over low heat or add a small splash of buttermilk to loosen.
- Ensure the cake is warm when frosting to allow for easier spreading and better glaze effect.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
