Everything’s bigger in Texas. And while I’m not from nor do I live in Texas it is hands down the state with the most pride ever. EVER. When I lived there for a brief moment I discovered that every license plate, house, doorstep, etc. bears the state or the state flag. Good mercy. And yet, I loved it. In fact, I would love to move there.
I’m going to enjoy Grandma’s chocolate cake that she passed down to my mom and could totally be from Texas given the size. Just look at it…it’s absolutely perfect…
The Best Cooked Chocolate Frosting
I hate to admit this, but I could drink cooked chocolate frosting. Actually my favorite part is after you’ve frosted the cake and the saucepan has frosting setting up in it. I lick it. I full on dip my finger and lick the pot clean. Don’t judge. It takes this cake over the top and through the roof!
It’s so unbelievably good. And Creamy. And warm. Oh, it’s so warm and perfect. I know, you’re all confused. The frosting is made stove top and oh my gosh, it’s so delicious. I just pace while my mom makes it, and then I steal that spatula as fast as I can. I totally hate when she uses every last bit of frosting. Such a waste. 😉 See section below for making the cooked chocolate frosting of the gods.
My mom grew up eating this easy chocolate sheet cake and it made an appearance at my house every holiday season growing up. It’s easy to make, sets up perfectly, stays moist, and it feeds an army. Isn’t that exactly what you need around the holidays, easy to make food that feeds a ton of people? Plus, just wait until you smell all of that chocolate cooking, you’ll thank me. Promise.
How to Make Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
Make a cake doesn’t get any easier! The ingredients are simple, expected…no surprises. Here is how you do it:
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and then mix the flour and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Grab a saucepan and add the margarine, shortening, cocoa and water in it and bring it to a light boil over medium high heat.
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and vanilla and whisk everything together until it is nice and smooth.
- Take the cocoa mixture from the stove and pour it over the flour mixture in the stand mixer and mix it together until smooth.
- Add the buttermilk mixture and mix it again until smooth.
That’s it! Easy peezy! Lightly spray a 12×18″ cookie sheet with cooking spray and pour the mixture into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
How to Make Cooked Chocolate Frosting
You might think that something so good has to be difficult to make. Nothing could be more untrue when it comes to this frosting. While the cake is baking, you can get to work on this easy cooked chocolate frosting:
-
Grab another sauce pan, or quickly clean the one you just used for the cake, and add the margarine, cocoa and milk and bring them to a soft boil over medium heat.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the cocoa mixture and whisk everything together until smooth.
Your cooked chocolate frosting is done! Let the finger dipping and licking begin….errrrr, I mean, I never would do that! Spread the frosting onto the cake while both the frosting and cake are still warm.
Now cut yourself a piece the size the Texas and you’ll be the happiest camper that ever has been! This is the classic chocolate Texas sheet cake you know and love! Enjoy it for holidays, family reunions, birthdays or just an average Wednesday…everyone needs chocolate on an average Wednesday!
More CAKE RECIPES You Have to Try:
- Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting
- Better Than Anything Cake
- Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Classic Banana Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Jello Cake
- Banana Bundt Cake
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
- Gingerbread Cake
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Lemon Jello Cake
- All our Cake Recipes here!
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake with Cooked Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake
Description
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 Cups Flour
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Margarine
- 1/2 Cup Shortening
- 4 Tablespoons of Cocoa
- 1 Cup Water
- 1/2 Cup of Buttermilk, Or 1/2 Cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar
- 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 Pinch Salt
Warm Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 Cup Margarine
- 4 Tablespoons Cocoa
- 6 Tablespoons Milk
- 1 lb Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the Cake
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In the bowl of a kitchenaid, mix the flour and sugar.
- Place the margarine, shortening, cocoa and water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a light boil.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, soda, cinnamon, vanilla and salt whisk until smooth.
- Take the cocoa mixture and pour it over the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add the buttermilk mixture and mix again until smooth.
- Lightly spray a cookie sheet (12x18") with cooking oil (Pam).
- Pour the mixture in the pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Warm Chocolate Frosting
- Add the margarine, cocoa and milk to a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a soft boil.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Spread onto the cake while both the frosting and the cake are still warm.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Apple Butter Spice Sheet Cake
Warm fall flavors with a hint of brown butter frosting.
Brenda Anne
Is margarine a strict requirement in this recipe? I would rather use butter if possible. Margarine is made w hydrogenated oil, which is much worse for us than the fat in butter. I read in other comments, that u replied to, that it makes the cake more moist. Maybe I could add water while using butter. What r ur thoughts?
Sweet Basil
We agree butter is better but for some reason we prefer the margarine in this. However, you definitely can use butter no need to add water!
Nalini
Do you use all purpose flour or cake flour?
Sweet Basil
Just all purpose flour for this recipe! Enjoy!
fatema
hi dear i want ask what the replace for Shortening
Sweet Basil
Hi, you can use butter.
Susan
Looks wonderful. What size pan are you using?
Sweet Basil
a 12×18″
Linda
Is the nutrition information accurate? Over 7000 calories!!! Yikes!!!
Sweet Basil
oh dear! It seems to be pulling for the entire cake! I’ll fix that
Soleil
Texas Sheet Cake!!!
I’m gonna have to see how this one turns out. I have a huge family so anytime the family got together my grandma would make it and anytime we had a potluck after church service. The only thing my grandma would do differently is add some chopped walnuts and or cherries (around the holidays).
Sweet Basil
Oh yes!! I remember my grandma doing that!
Sandy
I am 72 yrs of age and this cake has been around for a long time, I’d say as least 30 yrs. We called it Texas Sheet Cake.It was the frosting that everybody raved about.
Sweet Basil
Yes, isn’t that frosting the best?!
Christine
This cake sounds fabulous! I was wondering about substituting the margarine for butter and the water for coffee…your thoughts?
Sweet Basil
Hi Christine, I’ve used butter quite a bit and while I have to admit that it doesn’t come out as moist, I love the butter flavor. I would probably do half water, half coffee to start with. It should enhance the chocolate flavor but you want to make sure that it doesn’t take away from that typical sheet cake flavor. 🙂
Tamie Anderson
Could you cook it in a 11×13 pan? I don’t have a pan the size you said to do it in
Sweet Basil
Unfortunately this cake really is meant for a cookie sheet, but you could always lower the temperature a little and try baking it longer however you would have to just watch it as I don’t know the baking time since it would be a thick cake.
Katie Dale
Let me first say the frosting is AMAZING!!! Everyone loved it. That being said, the cake is not good. For starters, the cinnamon throws everything off and I wish I had omitted it. It’s also too sweet. I would reduce the amount of sugar by at least 1/4 cup, if not 1/2. Lastly, (and my oven temperature is correct), I would reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes. The cake was very dry.
The frostng will be wonderful on my next batch of brownies though.
Sweet Basil
Hi Katie,
You shouldn’t be able to taste the cinnamon as it’s just to enhance the chocolate. It should give a little something to the cake, but not be detectable. As for the cake, I would test the oven as this is a very moist cake (I’m a bit of a weirdo about that. I detest cakes even a little dry). I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it.
Edna
I got my copy of the Texas Sheet Cake from a Texas lady named Sherene. Wonderful cake!
Sweet Basil
Well that is definitely straight from a Texas source!
DYDY
I am from a 7 generation Texas family and this recipe is the real deal! I have seen other versions that didn’t get it right. The only thing we (me, Mother, Grandmas) do differently is to add tons of pecans to the icing. The cinnamon does something to enhance the flavor of the chocolate but when you are eating it you have no idea it’s in there.
Sweet Basil
I couldn’t agree more! That cinnamon is totally undetectable but to skip it just ruins the whole thing. I’m so glad we got this one right!
Belinda
All the elderly ladies at my church growing up would make this for church suppers and it went fast that’s why so many of them made the same dessert. Great memories and great reason to make this cake!
Sweet Basil
I love when a recipe comes with great memories!
Dawn
When you say soda do you mean baking soda??
Sweet Basil
Hi Dawn, Yes, baking soda
Tina sokia
Thanks, I will try this out. My family loves chocolate cake.
Sweet Basil
It’s such a classic. Hope you love it!
Lisa I
This reminds me of the cake that my former boss, a born-and-raised-and-never-left Texan, made. She called it a Texas sheet cake and she would make it about once a month on a Monday and there was never a single scrap left. I miss her and boy, do I miss that cake. I’m not from Texas, btw, but I got here as fast as I could.
Sweet Basil
It’s so simple, but it really is so good! And I love that food so quickly reminds us of people!
Alicia
I never heard of this before and I lived in Texas my whole life lol but now with my birthday next month I want to eat this 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!
Sweet Basil
Just wait until you have that warm frosting. It’s heaven! And what day is your birthday? Our anniversary is the 19th!
Denise
Does anyone know if this can be made in a regular 9 X 13 cake pan? If so how long would you bake it?
Alyson – Lift, Bend, Bake
Texas Sheet Cake is the BEST! The first time I had it, I’d never heard of it.. and come to think of it, now that I actually live in Texas it seems only appropriate I should make it 🙂
Sweet Basil
Heck yes you should! And I’m jealous you get to live in Texas!
[email protected] ‘n’ Cookies
Hi Carrian! Just found your blog through Roxana’s Home Baking! I cannot wait to try your recipe for Texas sheet cake. I’ve been making a recipe for Texas sheet cake that I found in a big-name cookbook, and it’s always been delicious. But I have a feeling that your recipe would leave that one in the dust. I’ll definitely be trying this soon!
And I had to chuckle at your assessment of Texan state pride. I like in New Jersey — another place with a lot of state pride. When I first moved here, I saw people wearing shirts that said “New Jersey — only the strong survive” and I thought it was a bit ridiculous (seriously, why is everyone here so dang PROUD of being from New Jersey?!). But now I totally get it — and love it!
Sweet Basil
lol! Isn’t it so funny?! Washington was definitely not like that. Everyone was too busy staying dry, making granola or eating salmon 😉 jk, kinda
Nancy
What is a cube of margarine? I assume that is a stick or half a cup or is it the actual square which is a full cup?
Jen
Oh I LOVE Texas sheet cake! Definitely adding this to my list of recipes to try.
P.S. your new design is so pretty!
Carrian
Thanks, Jen!! It’s still a work in progress, and I’ve almost lost my mind, but what else can I do?
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats
ooh this just looks & sounds so incredible!! I love a good frosting! great tips too!!
Tasha Z
I need some of this … like now! Amazing stuff!
[email protected]
our family makes a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas and I think this is the one I must make!!!
Tonya
Friend, you blog looks so good! You are doing amazing!! I hope you’re doing well! Sure miss you… PS Move to OREGON 😉
Carrian
AWWW, I miss you!!! I sure love your pretty face!
Tina | My Life as a Mrs
nothing better than an big ol’ piece of sheet cake!!
Huimin
How much is 1 cube of margarine? Thanks!
Carrian
1/2 cUP
Gaby
CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE?!? omg i just died and went to heaven. we used to eat this all the time when I was a kid – making it again stat! xo
Averie @ Averie Cooks
This cake looks and sounds like absolute heaven! I wish I had bigger parties more often to make things like this b/c I don’t need a whole one just laying around but I wish I did!
Carrian
Me too. Gosh, and that frosting is seriously lovely. And I usually don’t eat very much frosting