Brown Butter Pumpkin Texas Sheet Cake

Get ready for Pumpkin Texas Sheet Cake—the fall twist you didn’t know you needed. It’s the classic chocolate sheet cake we love in Texas, with a cozy brown butter and pumpkin spice twist. Trust me, your sheet pan is ready for this!

If you’re in the Wilson family, you know that Texas Sheet Cake is basically a non-negotiable at every family gathering. Birthdays, church gatherings, holidays—if we’re together, there’s this chocolate cake.  And somehow, a Texas Sheet Cake is like Jesus with his loaves and fishes: there’s somehow always enough, if not a few leftover slices to wrap in waxed paper and stash in the freezer.

This year for Thanksgiving, as the entire crew descends on Bellville Texas, I thought, why not switch things up just a little? Enter: Brown Butter Texas Sheet Cake—a nutty, caramelized twist on our beloved classic. The browned butter gives this that deep, toasty flavor I especially love in the fall, and dry milk powder that levels up the richness. Add a little cornstarch to keep the cake extra tender, and we’ve got a dessert that’s familiar enough to feel like home, but just different enough to keep everyone guessing what will come out of the oven next. I can’t wait to see their faces when they realize I’m not serving the same old ( but very reliable) Texas Sheet Cake this year.  Here’s to new classics and budding traditions!

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Pumpkin Texas Sheet Cake:

•  all-purpose flour

•  cornstarch

•  granulated sugar

•  ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves (though you could also reach for your jar of pumpkin pie spice)

•  baking soda and kosher salt

•  unsalted butter

•  dry milk powder

•  large eggs

•  pumpkin puree (I used canned)

•  vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes flour, granulated sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and all those cozy warming spices.  Alright, halfway there!

Next we’ll brown the butter.  We’re going for layers of flavor and the nutty brown butter will compliment all the cinnamon and spice.  If you’re new to browning butter, it’s very easy. You’ll find a tutorial here!

Simmer the butter until the water cooks out, the crackling subsides, and the milk solids in the butter begin to brown and get toasty.  Remove the pot from the heat though, keep in mind that it’s best to move fast because the butter continues to brown in the hot pan.  Add the dry milk powder to the hot butter and immediately whisk to incorporate and work out any lumps.  The milk powder will lightly toast in the hot butter.  It’s a wonder.

To finish the batter we’ll add all the wet ingredients to the dry.  Beaten egg, buttery pumpkin mixture, sour cream, and vanilla extract all get whisked and folded into the dry ingredients.

Spoon the pumpkin cake batter into a greased half sheet pan (we’re talking about the big rimmed 18×13-inch pan).  I think it’s important to make a sheet cake in an actual sheet pan. It makes for the perfect thickness of  cake with juuuuust enough room for a thin layer of glaze.

An offset spatula comes in very handy here to spread the batter into a thin and even layer across the pan.

If I don’t have a half sheet pan can I use a 9×13-inch pan?

You sure can! Prepare the recipe as written below but bake in a greased 9×13-inch pan.  Note that the cake will be a bit thicker, so you’ll need to extend the baking time by about 5-10 minutes. Just keep an eye on it and test for doneness with a toothpick (it should come out with a few moist crumbs). You may find that you have more glaze than you need for the smaller pan OR you could just go for a thick layer of glaze which no one has ever fussed at.

The trick for a slab cake with an even finish is to glaze the warm cake with warm glaze. Warm is key! Warm glaze will spread much more easily and again, grab that offset spatula and move quickly.

Before serving, let the cake cool and set for at least an hour for clean slices.

This cake is wonderful served at room temperature with strong coffee, and maybe even better sliced cold from the fridge as a sneaky midnight snack. There’s no wrong way. I’m sure this will be a Wilson family classic in no time. I’ll let you know as soon as mom and dad taste it and give their stamp of approval.

Leave any questions below and we’d love if you rate the recipe and leave a comment after baking!

xo

Pumpkin Texas Sheet Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
• Total Time: nearly an hour plus at least an hour of cooling time
• Yield: 1- 18x13-inch pan 1x
• Category: dessert, holiday, cake
• Method: baking

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Description

This Brown Butter Pumpkin Texas Sheet Cake is a cozy fall twist on a classic! The cake is tender and moist, thanks to pumpkin puree and browned butter, with a deep, nutty flavor that’s perfect for the season. Topped with a buttery pecan glaze, this sheet cake is easy to make and sure to be a crowd-pleaser for any fall gathering!

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Ingredients

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For the Cake:

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (17 grams) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• (You could also just use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (35 grams) nonfat milk powder
• 3/4 cup (180 grams) pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature and beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (165 grams) sour cream

For the Frosting:

• 3/4 cup (169 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/4 cup whole milk or half and half
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups (340 grams) powdered sugar, sifted if your powdered sugar is lumpy
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease (or spray with nonstick baking spray) a half sheet pan (18×13-inch).
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, spices, and salt.
3. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat to melt and brown butter. Allow the butter to melt and crackle as the water cooks out. Once the crackling subsides, keep an eye on the butter as the solids will start to brown. Just as the butter begins to brown, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the milk powder. The butter will foam and froth and make a fuss. Just keep whisking until well browned (in all honestly – it’ll be hard to see the browning for all the foam – that’s fine. It’ll be delicious). After whisking the milk powder to smooth and toasty (about 30 seconds) pour into a medium bowl. Add the pumpkin puree and very carefully whisk. The pumpkin will seize and that’s okay.
4. Add the buttery pumpkin mix to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold a few turns. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream, and fold until well-combined and no hidden flour pockets remain.
5. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread the batter into an even layer from edge to edge. Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating once during baking, until golden around the edges and firm but bouncy.
6. While the cake bakes, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan (you can use the first saucepan you melted butter in, just give it a rinse!), again melt and brown the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in corn syrup, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth, followed by the pecans.
7. Quickly pour the warm frosting over the warm cake and use the offset spatula to spread it from edge to edge. You’ll need every bit of frosting so scrape the pan well. Allow the cake to set and cool for an hour before serving.

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