Old-Fashioned Texas Sheet Cake

There are some fancy and beautiful cakes in this world. This Old-Fashioned Texas Sheet Cake isn’t one of them.

This is the kind of cake you make when you need something dependable. Something chocolate. Something that will disappear before you’ve even set the pan down on the table.

Texas Sheet Cake has been around forever for good reason.

It’s simple, quick, and unapologetically rich. The batter comes together fast, the cake bakes in about 20 minutes in a jelly roll pan, and the chocolate icing gets poured right over the top while everything is still warm.

I’ve made this cake more times than I can count.

After a little tweaking, I’ve settled on this version. It is super moist, keeps all the classic flavor, and has that subtle hint of cinnamon.

Don’t skip the cinnamon, y’all. It adds that little extra somethin’ people won’t necessarily notice…but they’ll absolutely taste.

Old-Fashioned Texas Sheet Cake

This is not a fussy cake. It’s a “make it, pour it, slice it” kind of cake.

And sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup neutral oil
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Icing

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons milk, (this is 1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP if that’s easier)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)

Instructions

Toast the Pecans (This is an optional step!)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Remove and set aside.

Leave oven at 350°F for baking the cake.

Make the Cake

Lightly grease a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, salt, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, and oil. Bring just to a boil.

Pour the hot butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, and vanilla. Add to the batter and mix just until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake 20 – 25 minutes, checking at 20 minutes. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Make the Icing (While Cake Is in Final Minutes of Baking)

1. In a saucepan, combine butter, milk, and cocoa. Bring to a full rolling boil and let boil for 30 seconds.
2. Remove from heat immediately.
3. Whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and toasted pecans until smooth.

Frost the Cake

Pour warm icing over the warm cake. Spread out to the edges of the cake

Let cool before slicing…If you can resist!

Recipe Notes

Pan Size:
I use a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan for the classic thin Texas sheet cake texture.

You can also use:

• 9×13-inch pan: Bake about 28–32 minutes.
• 13×18-inch half sheet pan: Begin checking at 15 minutes. The cake will be thinner and bake more quickly.

Bake Time:
In my oven, in a jelly roll pan, this cake takes 22 minutes. As you know, every oven is different. I would suggest that you begin checking at 19 or 20 minutes, but don’t be surprised if it needs longer. This is a moist batter.

If you decide to use a 9×13 pan it will take 30 minutes or perhaps longer.

If you want use a half sheet or 13×18 inch pan I would suggest beginning to check for doneness at 15 minutes.

Don’t Skip the Boil:
Bring the butter, milk, and cocoa mixture to a full rolling boil before adding the powdered sugar. This ensures the icing sets properly and isn’t grainy.

Toasting Pecans:
Toasting is optional, but it enhances the flavor. Don’t worry, if you skip this step, the cake will still be delicious.

I hope that you enjoy this Texas Sheet Cake!