White Texas Sheet Cake with the Dreamiest Almond Frosting
Can We Agree Dessert for a Crowd Shouldn’t Take All Day?
This white Texas sheet cake was my very first time making a brand-new recipe, and it instantly earned a permanent spot in my dessert rotation. It’s a soft, buttery sheet cake with the dreamiest almond frosting, and it feeds a whole crowd — I cut mine into 32 squares. I topped it with fresh strawberries and blueberries for a red, white, and blue look that’s perfect for summer cookouts and the 4th of July, but honestly, it’s a keeper any month of the year. If you’ve been hunting for a dessert that comes together fast and feeds everyone at the table, this is the one.
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Watch me make this white Texas sheet cake from start to finish — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.
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White Texas Sheet Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup salted butter that's 2 sticks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- 6 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup salted butter that's 1 stick
- 3¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Fresh strawberries for topping (optional)
- Fresh blueberries for topping (optional)
Don’t Want to Build Your Own? I’ve Got You.Every Saturday I share a full week of dinners, sides, and a dessert — with the grocery list already done. Come grab this week’s Weekly Meal Plans!Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a rimmed half sheet pan (13×18″).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the sour cream, eggs, and almond extract until just combined.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and butter to a boil. Pour the hot mixture into the batter and stir until smooth — the batter will be thin, and that’s just right.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 17–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start the frosting when the cake is about 5 minutes from done.
- In a saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar and almond extract, beating until smooth.
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake and gently spread to the edges with a spatula.
- Let cool completely, then top with fresh strawberries and blueberries, if desired.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
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Tap the stars above to rate it! This helps other families find it.Why This White Texas Sheet Cake Works
The magic of this white Texas sheet cake is how simple it is. You boil butter and water together, pour it over your dry ingredients, and stir in eggs, sour cream, and almond extract — no mixer required. The batter comes together thin and pourable, spreads into one big half sheet pan, and bakes in about 20 minutes. That’s it: a whole crowd’s worth of dessert, start to finish, in well under an hour.
What makes this one special is the almond extract. It goes in both the cake and the frosting, and it’s the flavor everyone tries to place when they take that first bite. If you love that sweet, aromatic almond flavor as much as I do, King Arthur Baking has a whole collection on baking with almond that’s worth a read. Paired with the buttery frosting poured on while everything’s still warm, it sets into the glossiest, dreamiest topping.
This was truly my first time making this white Texas sheet cake — it’s a brand-new recipe I found from Tastes Better From Scratch, and I’ve loved a few of her recipes over the years. I made it for the 4th of July with fresh strawberries and blueberries on top, and it disappeared. It’s officially in the rotation now.
A Few Things That Make White Texas Sheet Cake Even Easier
- Use baking powder instead of baking soda. The original recipe calls for baking soda, but I always swap in baking powder — I find soda can leave a faintly bitter taste. Use twice as much: 2 teaspoons baking powder for every 1 teaspoon of soda. If you’d rather stick with the original, 1 teaspoon of baking soda works too.
- Don’t skip the almond extract. It’s the whole personality of this cake — it’s in both the batter and the frosting. If all you have is vanilla it’ll still be good, but it won’t be this cake.
- Grease your pan really well. I’m a Crisco girl through and through for greasing — it gives the best release so every square lifts out clean.
- Frost while everything’s warm. Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake so it melts into a smooth, glossy layer. Wait until the cake is cold and the frosting sets too thick to spread.
- Mix it all in one bowl. I mix the whole batter in one big mixing bowl — dry ingredients, then the wet poured right on top. Fewer dishes, and this batter is forgiving.
- Want an even softer crumb? Next time, reach for cake flour — or make your own. My great-grandma’s 100-year-old cake flour trick turns all-purpose into cake flour with one quick cornstarch swap.
White Texas Sheet Cake FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
What temperature and how long do I bake white Texas sheet cake?
Bake it at 350°F for 17 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It bakes in one big half sheet pan (13×18″), so it cooks fast and stays thin — and that thin layer is exactly what gives you the perfect cake-to-frosting ratio. Start your frosting when the cake is about 5 minutes from done so it’s warm and pourable the moment the cake comes out.
Can I make white Texas sheet cake ahead of time?
Yes. The frosted cake keeps well covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, so you can bake and frost it the day before a party. If you’re topping it with berries, add those the day you serve so they stay fresh and don’t weep into the frosting.
Do I have to use baking powder, or can I use baking soda?
Either works. I make it with baking powder because I think baking soda can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste, so I use twice as much powder — 2 teaspoons — in its place. If you prefer the original, use 1 teaspoon of baking soda instead. Both give you that tender sheet-cake crumb.
How do I store leftovers, and can I freeze it?
Cover leftovers and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5. You can freeze the unfrosted white Texas sheet cake, well wrapped, for up to 2 months — thaw it, then frost fresh. I’d add the berries only after thawing and frosting so they look their best.
What makes it a “white” Texas sheet cake?
A classic Texas sheet cake is chocolate, with cocoa in both the cake and the icing. This white version skips the cocoa and leans on almond extract instead, so you get that same thin, tender texture and pour-over frosting in a vanilla-almond flavor. If you want the chocolate original, I’ve got my classic Texas Sheet Cake too.
How many people does this white Texas sheet cake serve?
It’s a true crowd dessert. Baked in a 13×18″ half sheet pan and cut into squares, it makes about 32 servings — which is exactly why it lives on my feeding-a-crowd list. Cut them a little bigger for 24 generous pieces, or smaller for an even bigger potluck.
Can I put fruit on top?
Absolutely — that’s my favorite way to serve this white Texas sheet cake. Once the cake has cooled completely, scatter fresh strawberries and blueberries over the top for a red, white, and blue look that’s perfect for the 4th of July or any summer cookout. Any fresh berry works; just wait until the frosting has set so they sit pretty on top.
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Ingredients
Equipment
More Desserts You’ll Love
- Texas Sheet Cake — the classic chocolate original this white version is based on.
- Easiest Most Delicious Coconut Cake — another easy, crowd-sized cake with a tender crumb.
- Southern Butter Pecan Pound Cake — buttery, nutty, and made for a full table.
- 3 Ingredient Cherry Dump Cake — possibly the easiest crowd dessert on the whole site.
- Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake — a bright, 3-ingredient summer twist on the cherry version, and about the easiest dessert you can throw together.
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake — a fruity, retro cake that always gets compliments.
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White Texas Sheet Cake — About Stephanie’s Recipes
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.