Texas Sheet Cake — The Best Chocolate Cake for a Crowd
Some Things Texas Does Right
Texas sheet cake is my answer every single time I need to feed a crowd something chocolate and completely unforgettable. I made two of these last night — one to go to the school and the other will get split between two friends who have a hard week ahead of them. That is exactly what this cake is for. It is thin, fudgy, deeply chocolatey, and covered in warm poured frosting that sets into the most incredible fudgy icing you have ever put in your mouth. Some things Texas does right, and this Texas sheet cake is absolutely one of them.
🍰 This one’s in my collection of desserts for a crowd — the ones that travel well and feed a lot of people.
This post contains affiliate links from the Amazon Associates program and the King Arthur Baking affiliate program. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting StephanieCooksForACrowd.com!
Watch the full recipe above — or scroll down for the written version and printable recipe card.
Featured Tools & Ingredients
King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• The flour Mama and I both used and it’s what I reach for any time I’m baking a cake. Consistent protein content = consistent rise and tender crumb every time.
- SET OF 2 BAKING SHEETS: GoodCook’s Nonstick Cookie Sheet Set comes with two extra-large 15” x...
- EVEN BAKE, EVERY TIME: The heavy-duty gauge baking pans in this bakeware set ensure long-lasting...
• A true Texas sheet cake needs a true sheet pan — half-sheet size, 18×13. This is what I use every time. Thin cake, more frosting per bite, the way it's supposed to be.
- ESSENTIAL KITCHEN TOOL: 2 piece set includes 1-cup, and 2-cup, measuring cups that are perfect for...
- EASY TO READ: Featuring bold and large measurements in both ounces and milliliters making this...
• My most-used kitchen tool — full stop. Baking is measuring, and these measure right. Indestructible, microwave safe, and the lip pours clean.
- EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN: Enjoy mirror finish, classic look and professional performance. Aluminum...
- PREMIUM COOKING: Stainless steel cooking surface does not discolor, react with food or alter...
• Where the frosting happens. Butter, milk, cocoa, and powdered sugar come together right here on the stove, then get poured hot over hot cake — that's the whole trick. Three quarts is the perfect size for it.
See the complete shopping list ↓
Texas Sheet Cake
Start CookingIngredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup salted butter
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder Stephanie’s swap — original recipe uses baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup salted butter
- 6 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
Don’t Want to Plan? I 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 Start Cooking
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 18×13 inch sheet pan.
- Add water, butter, and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, mix together sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the hot butter and cocoa mixture into the batter and mix until smooth and no lumps remain. The batter will be very thin — that is exactly right.
- Pour into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula into an even layer.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until set. Start checking at 15 minutes.
- About 5 minutes before the cake is done, prepare the frosting: add butter, milk, and cocoa powder to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar until smooth. A hand mixer works great here to beat out any lumps.
- Pour the warm frosting over the hot cake immediately. It should pour in a smooth ribbon, about like warm fudge sauce — if it feels stiff, add milk a tablespoon at a time until it does. Spread evenly with a spatula.
- Allow frosting to set for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Four Weeks of Family-Friendly FoodWhen people gather, I cook. Four weeks of the dinners my crowd asks for — planned, tested, and shopped for. Come see what’s in the cookbook →Why This Texas Sheet Cake Works
If you have been around here for any length of time, you know that when someone I love is going through something hard, my first instinct is to bring food. And I never want them to worry about returning my dish. That is why I’m always looking for a good “bring it and leave it” dessert — but for this Texas sheet cake, I used my extra large baking sheets because a true Texas sheet cake needs a true sheet pan.
The frosting is the thing. You make it on the stovetop in a saucepan while the cake is still baking — salted butter , milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar — and the moment that cake comes out of the oven, you pour it right on top. Hot frosting, hot cake. That is the whole secret. It sets into this thin, fudgy, glossy layer that is absolutely unlike any other frosting I have ever made. No spreading required beyond a quick pass with a spatula. It finds its own level and it is perfect every single time.
I got this Texas sheet cake recipe from Lauren Allen at TastesBetterFromScratch.com and I want to make sure she gets full credit because this recipe is genuinely perfect. I made one small change — I use baking powder instead of baking soda, which is just a personal preference of mine — but everything else is exactly as Lauren wrote it and I would not change a single thing. If your crowd leans vanilla over chocolate, I made a white Texas sheet cake with almond frosting from her recipes too — same thin cake, same pour-over frosting magic, no cocoa. Go check out her site if you want to see the original.
The only problem with Texas sheet cake is that it disappears faster than you expect. I made two full sheet cakes and they will both be gone before the week is over. That is how you know.
A Few Things That Make Texas Sheet Cake Even Easier
- Use a real half-sheet pan. The whole point of a Texas sheet cake is the thin-cake-to-frosting ratio. If you only have a 9×13, the cake will sit too deep in the pan and you’ll need to bake it 30–35 minutes instead of 20. My extra large baking sheets are the exact size this recipe wants.
- Have the frosting ingredients measured before the cake comes out. The frosting has to be poured hot, onto hot cake. That means it needs to be ready right when the timer goes off. Start it on the stove with about 5 minutes left on the bake — that’s exactly enough time. It should pour in a smooth ribbon, about like warm fudge sauce — if it feels stiff, add milk a tablespoon at a time until it does.
- Measure your flour the right way. Baking is chemistry. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife — don’t scoop straight from the bag. Packed flour gives you a dense, dry cake. With 2 cups of King Arthur AP flour in this recipe, the difference is real.
- Pecans are optional, not required. A traditional Texas sheet cake gets toasted pecans on top. I usually skip them — most of the kids and crew at my house prefer it plain — but if you love them, sprinkle a cup of chopped toasted pecans over the frosting right after you pour it. They’ll set into the glaze.
- Plan on it disappearing. I have never made a Texas sheet cake that didn’t get demolished. Two cakes for one busy week is not too many. The pan is huge, the slices look generous, and somehow it’s still gone by Wednesday.
Texas Sheet Cake FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
What size pan do I use for Texas sheet cake?
A true Texas sheet cake is baked thin in a half-sheet or jelly roll pan — typically 15×10 or 18×13 inches. That thin-cake-to-frosting ratio is what makes it a Texas sheet cake instead of just a chocolate cake. If you only have a 9×13, you can absolutely use it — you will just need to bake the cake about 30–35 minutes instead of 20, because the batter will sit deeper in the pan. The King Arthur Baking Texas sheet cake guide is a good reference for pan sizing if you want to cross-check.
Why do you pour the frosting on Texas sheet cake while it is still warm?
Hot frosting on hot cake is the whole secret. When you pour warm poured icing over a cake that just came out of the oven, the frosting finds its own level — no spreading, no spatula fight. It sets into that signature thin, glossy, fudgy layer that is unlike any other cake frosting. If you wait and the cake cools, the frosting will also start to set up too fast and you will end up with spreading trouble. Trust me. Pour while warm.
Can I make Texas sheet cake ahead of time?
Yes. Texas sheet cake actually holds beautifully — I think it is even better on day two because the frosting fully sets and the flavor deepens. Cover it well with foil or plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for up to 2 days. For anything longer, I would move it to the fridge, but bring it back to room temperature before serving so the frosting is soft again.
Do I have to put pecans on Texas sheet cake?
Pecans are traditional, but they are not required. If you have a nut-free crowd or you just do not love pecans, leave them off — the cake stands completely on its own. If you want to keep the texture without the nuts, you could do toasted coconut on top or just leave the frosting smooth. For the record, most of my people eat Texas sheet cake plain and nobody has ever complained.
Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder in Texas sheet cake?
Yes — and that’s actually how the original recipe is written. Lauren Allen’s original calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda. I personally use baking powder in mine because that’s my preference and the cake comes out perfectly every time. They are not direct substitutes in most recipes (the chemistry is different) but in this particular cake, either one works because the buttery, cocoa-rich batter has the moisture and acidity to play nicely with both. Use whatever you have on hand.
How do I store Texas sheet cake, and does it need to go in the fridge?
Texas sheet cake stores great at room temperature for 2–3 days — just cover it well so the frosting stays soft. It does not need to be refrigerated. In fact, I prefer it at room temp because the frosting is at its glossiest and fudgiest. If you have leftovers going past day 3, move it to the fridge and bring individual slices back to room temp before serving.
Can I freeze Texas sheet cake?
You can. Cut the cake into slices, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and stash in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before serving — the frosting comes right back to glossy. I almost never have to freeze this cake, but it’s nice to know you can.
What if my Texas sheet cake frosting is too thick to pour?
Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, and stir until it loosens into a pourable ribbon. Powdered sugar absorbs liquid differently depending on the brand and how humid your kitchen is, so a little adjustment is normal. You want it to flow off the spoon in a thick stream — if you’re spreading it instead of pouring it, it needs more milk.
🛒 Complete Shopping List
Everything you need to make this Texas Sheet Cake — click any item to shop.
Ingredients
Equipment
More Crowd Desserts You’ll Love
- Southern Butter Pecan Pound Cake — a tall, buttery pound cake loaded with pecans and a maple cream cheese icing.
- Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars — quick, easy, and gone in minutes at any gathering.
- Eclair Squares — Kathy Petty’s no-bake dessert that has been requested at every potluck since I first made it.
- Fudgy Pie — the ugly dessert that tastes like a million dollars.
- White Texas Sheet Cake — a soft, buttery sheet cake with dreamy almond frosting that feeds a crowd of 32.
- Pumpkin Caramel Sheet Cake — the fall one, with a brown sugar caramel frosting and 40 squares out of the same size pan.
📬 Come to the table on Saturday
Every Saturday morning I send a printable meal plan and full grocery list — the whole week, formatted for the fridge and the grocery run — plus new recipes and whatever’s happening at the Longstreth house. Drop your email below and I’ll save you a seat.
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.