For the past few, oh I dunno…. decades the only real question for family gatherings is: who is going to make the Texas Sheet Cake? It’s goes without saying that this unassuming, pecan studded cake will be sliced up at the end of every family celebration. As sure as the sun will rise, ya know? So… who is going to make it?
The steady Texas Sheet Cake bakers in our clan are my dad, mom, and aunt Judy. Is one cake better than another? I’ll never tell but they all work from the same, chocolate-stained recipe card from our late Aunt Mary. We’ve learned, after a few well intentioned deviations, not to mess with Aunt Mary’s recipe. Don’t go thinking you can add peppermint extract to the cake, walnuts to the frosting, or god forbid a… fruit. You don’t mess with a good thing and if you do… I mean we’ll still eat it but we’ll shake out heads about it after our plates are clean.
It’s a crime that it’s taken me so long to share this cake with you. It’s classic Americana. It’s classic Wilson family shenanigans.
Let’s talk about a few things.
What is Texas Sheet Cake?
Texas sheet cake is a thin chocolate cake baked in a jelly roll pan. The cake batter is thin, making for a light and tender baked cake. What really sets a Texas Sheet Cake apart from other cakes is the stovetop cooked chocolate frosting made with melted butter, milk, chocolate, powdered sugar and, most importantly – pecans. The warm frosting is poured over warm cake creating a fudgy, undeniably special chocolate cake.
Texas Sheet Cake is known by many other names. Southern Living touts it as a funeral cake, which made me do a double take and made me extra thankful that we don’t wait for a death in the family to enjoy this cake. Some people know it as a Chocolate Sheath Cake or with a touch of cinnamon as a Mexican Chocolate Cake. Some attribute the cake to Lady Bird Johnson. Some to the popularity of a German Chocolate Cake recipe printed in a Dallas newspaper in the 1950’s. Texas Sheet Cake is one of those recipes that, because of its ease and deliciousness (thank you pecans and chocolate), just got around through recipe cards and church cookbooks and imprinted itself into so many of our family recipe arsenals.
What do you need to make Texas Sheet Cake?
It’s simple really:
• butter for the cake and frosting.
• cocoa for the cake and frosting.
• baking soda and salt
• buttermilk (though sour cream also works wonderfully) and eggs
• milk, any fat will do
• and chopped pecans
To start, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Set aside, we have a bit of stovetop work to get to.
In a small saucepan, melt butter and whisk in cocoa and hot water.
I honestly love a stovetop cake. See also: Neapolitan One Pot Chocolate Sheet Cake.
Add the warmed cocoa/butter mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add the buttermilk and beaten eggs and hand whisk the thin batter smooth.
Pour the cake batter into a greased jelly roll pan and carefully transfer to the oven (truly the hardest part of the recipe).
Bake until the cake is gently puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry or with just a few moist crumbs. If the toothpick still has sticky batter, the cake needs a few minutes more.
While the cake bakes… guess what? More chocolate.
We’ll whisk together a warm chocolate and pecan glaze on the stovetop. Butter, cocoa, milk, powdered sugar, vanilla, and chopped pecans. It’s beyond. It’ll take all you’ve got to not eat the frosting with a spoon before the cake comes out of the oven.
When the baked cake emerges from the oven it’s topped with warm chocolate pecan frosting and as it all cools, the most magical thing happens.
The cake and frosting become one. There’s this perfectly tender cake topped with a chocolate pecan shell. In the center, where the cake and frosting meet is a fudgy equator that, as far as I can tell, is a thing of dreams (or, if you’re lucky, a thing of every family gathering).
You should need no further convincing.
In our family, this was the sort of cake that lived awkwardly in the pan, tilted and teetering in the refrigerator, for a day and a half. Each member of the family stealing moments at the open refrigerator to peel back the plastic wrap and sneak slivers with a butterknife.
I secretly hope this cake feels as nostalgic for you as it does me. If it doesn’t, maybe all this chocolate talk is enough to inspire a new tradition. Either way, I sincerely hope this cake finds it’s way into your oven.
PrintWilson Family Texas Sheet Cake
An American classic. A thin layer of chocolate cake topped with warm chocolate pecan frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 if not more 1x
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) finely chopped pecans
- 2/3 cups (151 grams) butter
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 18×13 sheet cake pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour warm chocolate over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
- In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate/ flour mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan, spread evenly and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter.
- While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans well. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar and stir until smooth. Add the pecans.
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake. Allow to cool and set for at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy! To store, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or foil and keep in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Sally
My grandmother–whose last name was also Wilson!–made amazing Texas Cake, but I lost the recipe years ago. This one tastes exactly the same! I was so happy to find it. Thank you!
★★★★★
joythebaker
I’m so happy this recipe made its way back to you!
Agnieszka
Thank you for this recipe. I made it yesterday for the first time for my husband’s b-day to share with friends during a picnic in a park. It was a great hit, both adults and kids really enjoyed it. Really easy to make and turns out great. I cut it into 24 squares and it was perfect size. Great cake to share easily. I will definitely be making it again.
Laura M Lake
If i cant eat nuts, is it still worth making? Do i need to change any thing?
joythebaker
just leave the nuts out!
Mary
I’ve made it several times for my kids birthday and use sprinkles and have left it plain as they aren’t nut fans. It’s a fantastic cake. Addictingly good and would taste great with or without the nuts!
Kim
This recipe is a family staple for this native Texan! My Nana called it 20 Min Cake because of the short baking time but I relate HARD to the stained recipe card! My card calls for ‘Oleo’ and I remember my Nana getting such a kick out of me not knowing that Oleo was a brand of margarine. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Alison
Love this. I grew up with “Mexican Chocolate Cake” attributed to Lady Bird Johnson. It’s the most stained/sticky recipe in our collection – the one we have calls for margarine in lieu of butter for some reason (i believe the recipe was printed in the late 70s so this may have been a nod to “health”?). Anyway I was born and raised in maryland and had no idea until I was in my 30s that this was in fact a Texas tradition. (The cake not the margarine, of course).
Judy D.
Thanks for the mention, Joy! This is my favorite cake, as you know. ?~Aunt Judy
★★★★★
Sabrina
missed this, have never made it or even tasted it before, so thank you for the introduction and recipe, I like that it’s a thin layer and especially the pecan frosting for the flavor and texture!
★★★★★
Shauna
Texas Sheet Cake is life! I ran track in high school and college, and my birthday always landed in the middle of the season. My mom would roll up to my birthday track meet with a pan of Texas Sheet Cake, so needless to say she was very popular.
★★★★★
Steph
ohh! my mom made this as mexican chocolate cake and it was a fave of mine!
you’ve inspired me to bake this this weekend! going to add a teaspoon or so of cinnamon as well to make it more of the way my mom did.
Marina
This is the exact recipe I have baked for many years, but I have doctored it up successfully to be a mocha cake…and in our family it is called “Steven’s Favorite Chocolate Cake.” Highly addictive. Truly simple to make.
★★★★★
samantha campanini
I recently discovered it’s better for me to not come close to nuts, can I ‘forget’ to add pecans onto it? Or is it a big crime?
Cyndi
Wow, what a beautiful post about Texas Sheet Cake, Joy! I admit when I first saw it, I was just going to click off without even reading, because I have made Texas Sheet cake and wondered what the fuss was about. I was definitely not impressed. The cake itself was dry and crumb-ey and the frosting was not very flavourful. I’m so glad I stayed to read your post. The recipe I used said nothing about the warm frosting going on the warm cake, so that magic didn’t happen, lol. Now I know I was missing something! I can’t wait to make this, and I will follow your recipe religiously. At first you mentioned a jelly roll pan, and my jelly roll pans are 15 x 10, but I will use one of my 18 x 13 cookie sheets as stated in your recipe. Thank you, Joy!
Karen Baruth
I also grew up with Texas Sheath Cake. Funny, I thought my Mom had the name wrong all this time. BUT, in our house the added teaspoon of cinnamon was IMPERATIVE. It is definitely sub par without it. Try it and see. You won’t be sorry.
★★★★★
Katie
Same here, our version is called “neighbors chocolate cake” and has cinnamon. So good! It’s not super cinnamon flavored, just gives it a little something extra.
★★★★★
Anne
What a gift of memories you’ve started! My mom used to make another sheet cake – raisin spice (with a powered sugar glaze). My sister hated raisins – in a loud and dramatic way – so mom would make Texas sheet cake whenever she made raisin sheet cake. Without pecans, as those were another unloved ingredient! I honestly can’t eat one without wanting the other.
You’ve brought me back to my childhood kitchen and a recollection of nibbling away of these treats one small slice at a time. Thank you! (And now to see if the buttermilk in the fridge is still within it’s best buy date….) :)
Janet Scaglione
Great photos!
Lise Ode
It IS a crime that you haven’t shared your Texas Sheet Cake before now. I may not sue. Haha. xo
Eva
Is this the same cake than in your first book ?
I made it years ago and it was a success ! ;)
Karen Edmonds
My mom made this cake when I was growing up. I think the recipe came from an aunt. But my family calls it Texas Mud Pie, which is very confusing to most people because of the other kind of Mud Pie. I can’t remember if our recipe calls for pecans or (gasp) walnuts (but walnuts are beloved in my family.) I’ll have to call my 90 year old mom (who doesn’t bake much anymore, but always suggests I make this cake) and ask her. Thanks for “bringing this one back” to me!
Emily
I adore Texas Sheet Cake! I agree, the og is not to be messed with – HOWEVER – a version with a touch of cinnamon and chipotle powder is RIDICULOUSLY great.
Janis W
Hi Joy!
I want to purchase a 18×13 sheet cake pan – all I have now are cookie sheets and smaller regular ol’ cake pans, and a lot of recipes have been turning up recently asking for sheet cake pans. :)
Would you please recommend a brand or any other characteristics you like?
Thanks for all the delicious recipes and your wonderful company through the years!
joythebaker
Hi Janis! Yes – do get a half sheet pan. I find them so handy! I really love either Williams Sonoma Gold Touch baking sets or Nordicware. Both are sturdy and long lasting.
Deb Thompson
Woohooo! Texas Sheet Cake aka Texas Sheeth Cake! Growing up in Central Texas, it was a staple at home and it went everywhere, along with bread sacks full of tuna salad and pimiento cheese (yes, Velveeta) sandwiches. Those were kinder, gentler, carefree times. Thanks for showcasing this cake today!
Sarah
This is a staple in my family, too, though we bake it in a 13×9 inch pan. In our version, pecans are optional but cinnamon is mandatory;
★★★★★
Marly
I love seeing variations of this classic recipe! My family’s version uses sour cream in both the cake and icing which gives both incredible tanginess, and no nuts – just silky smooth icing and tender fluffy cake <3
Tucker
This recipe has a long history for me. It’s my husbands favorite cake ever and his mother always made it for his Bday. And all the church dinners. It was her trademark cake. He often said I need to learn how to make it too. Once she passed I gave her recipe a try. I don’t know if it was intentional but the instructions said to bake 45 minutes. And yes it was burned and dry. Turns out 25 minutes is perfect in my oven. The next time I tried I mistook the word boil the frosting for BROIL, and that did not turn out as expected either. I didn’t give up and the 3rd time was better but my frosting was way to thick, cake still dry. On the 4th try about a year later, it all came together. I’ve made it a couple more times and think I’ve got the process down. Thanks for this recipe again, because I was never sure if it needed frosted warm out of the oven or cooled. I waited till it cooled. Now I’ve got to give it one more try.
★★★★★
Karen Baruth
I always cool my frosting before putting it on the cake. If not, it would all run off the pan!
Alicen
I don’t have a 13×18 pan, if I’m using a smaller pan, how full do I fill it? Halfway up the sides?
Do you think the leftover batter would bake into cupcakes or does it need to be thin?
This looks delicious and I’d love to try it, I just don’t want it boiling over into my oven. :)
Diane Foote
I got this recipe in 8th grade cooking class and have made it for over 50 years and my family always preferred it baked in a 9×13 pan for a taller cake. Never had any trouble with it overflowing in the oven and the icing becomes like fudge on top when it cools. Give it a try before buying another cake pan.
Kate Mai
Hey! We frequently make it in a 9×13 cake pan. Just watch the time- will probably take a bit longer to bake.
Vaughan
Looks so tasty. I am going to half your recipe and make a quarter sheet pan cake. Only 4 people in our pod for the Super Bowl.
Have you ever done this? Assuming it will cook faster???
Kristen
The fact that you called something a “fudgy equator” confirmed that every second I’ve spent reading your blog has been well spent. You gave me my go to biscuit recipe, and now I look forward to making this!
Jamie H
My Nana Gracie made this cake for nearly every holiday while we were growing up. As little kids, we would even ask for one for our birthdays. My family calls it, “Nana Gracie Cake”. I think anyone who’s Texan as a special memory around this cake.
kara
My maternal grandmother never cooked but was known for her chocolate chip cookies (Toll House recipe) and this cake. However, she always called it ‘dopes cake’. One Thanksgiving, years after she passed, I decided to make this and went to search the internets for a recipe to use. I did not know what Texas sheet cake was and, well, you can guess the kind of recipes a ‘dopes cake’ search provided. Long story short, my grandmother called it ‘dope’s cake’ because it was a friend’s recipe and my grandmother thought she was a dope and there we have it. She was a northerner living in the south and being PC wasn’t really a ;thing for her. We loved her and her dope’s cake anyway :)
Hollie Schmidt
I grew up in Texas eating what we called Texas Sheath Cake. It was a family staple and I still make it often here in Massachusetts. The recipe I use calls for a 9 x 13 pan, but yours has a higher frosting/cake ratio so I think I’d like it better!
Sarah R
Texas Sheet Cake has a very specific nostalgia for me. Growing up, we had a cabin on a small lake next to my dad’s cousin’s cabin. All the kids would play together all summer, and there would be a constant parade of kids through both cabins. Our families prepared dinner separately but generally ate together on folding chairs by the lake with paper plates. They often had Texas Sheet Cake and rarely offered to share, though I’m sure they would have if I had not been too timid to ask. The idea of having my own Texas Sheet Cake to share though would make me feel like a millionaire!
Heather
Texas sheet cake is life itself! So grateful for this Wilson family gem.
★★★★★