Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

This Buttermilk Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe is delicious! Full of rich, chocolate flavor with a butter and pecan chocolate frosting that is fantastic.

I like to make my Texas Sheet Cake in a 13" x 9 " pan because it is perfect for transporting to a potluck or barbecue, but you can certainly use a jelly roll pan too!

Hello Friends! 

I just had a birthday last week and in the spirit of that, I am sharing my favorite Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe. This is truly one of my favorite cakes of all time. 

Today’s recipe is an easy one when you are looking for a deliciously decadent chocolate dessert that chocolate lovers will enjoy. This moist cake with chocolate pecan icing might just be my favorite cake recipe. Perfect for birthday celebrations too! This recipe takes a few steps and a few bowls, but I promise it is worth it! Check out this video just above for an overview.

Be sure to check out our other great desserts

• Coca Cola Cake - My favorite version of this decadent chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. SO COOD!
• Sour Cream Pound Cake - Just 7 ingredients for this delicious pound cake!
• No Bake Oreo Cheesecake - this frozen dessert is so delicious and super simple to make!
• Chocolate Trifle Recipe - Delicious chocolate and cream trifles.
• Easy Cannoli Dip - A fantastic dessert dip for any time of year.
• No Bake Oreo Cheesecake - a delicious frozen dessert that is no bake.

Best Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake Key Ingredients

This recipe just takes a few pantry ingredients and a few select ingredients:

Flour - I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. I have not tried making this with cake flour. 

Unsweetened Cocoa - I often will use the generic brand of unsweetened cocoa and it works wonderfully. No need to purchase an expensive brand at the grocery store.

Buttermilk - Texas sheet cake with buttermilk is truly best, but if you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute a mixture of ½ cup of milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. The lemon juice will curdle the milk a bit.

Butter - I love using real butter for my recipes, margarine will work too, but life is short so why not butter?

Equipment & Kitchen Tools

• Large mixing bowl and medium bowl
• stand mixer or electric mixer
• small saucepan
• measuring spoons and cups
• baking dish or sheet cake pan

How to Make a Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

The full recipe follows, but here is a step by step overview of the process:

1. Add powdered chocolate to butter. 

2. Melt butter in a sauce pan and add chocolate.

3. Cook until boiling. 

4. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. 

5. Add melted chocolate mixture to flour mixture. 

6. In a small bowl, make buttermilk and egg blend. 

7. Mix blend.

8. Add the blend to the chocolate batter and mix well at medium speed.

9. Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake until done.

10.Frost baked cake as directed below.

Don't forget to bookmark this recipe - it is a favorite in our home!

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

📖 Recipe

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Raquel Pineira

This Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe is delicious! Full of rich, chocolate flavor with a butter and pecan chocolate frosting that is fantastic.

4.98 from 49 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Calories 82 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup of water
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• 1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Set aside.
  
  2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 cup butter, the water, and unsweetened cocoa to boiling. Remove from heat.
• 3. Pour chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and mix well.
• 4. In a small bowl, add buttermilk, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and the eggs; stir until well blended. Add to a large bowl and blend with cake batter.
• 5. Pour cake batter into pan, spreading evenly.
  
  6. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• 7. Let sit 5 minutes and frost.

Nutrition

Calories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 137mgPotassium: 74mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 67IUCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Texas Sheet Cake Frosting

This warm chocolate frosting is delicious!

¼ cup butter

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup pecans, chopped.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan (or rinse out the one you used for the cocoa), heat ½ cup butter, 3 tablespoons baking cocoa and the milk over medium heat until it starts simmering.   

Remove from heat.

Beat in powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla with whisk until smooth. Stir in chopped pecans.

Pour frosting over warm cake. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour.

• Pro Tip - have the dry ingredients measured ahead of time.
• Pre chop the pecans. You can store chopped nuts in the freezer and they keep well up to about a year.  
• For best results, use cocoa powder and not blocks.
• The original Texas sheet cake is made in a jelly roll pan but you can use a 13 x 9 baking dish.
• Store in an airtight container. 

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