This classic Texas Sheet Cake is rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey, topped with a silky chocolate frosting. Ideal for feeding a crowd — one sheet pan serves up to 25 people. The recipe is straightforward and comes together quickly, making it perfect for potlucks, gatherings, or an easy weeknight dessert. Follow the steps below for reliably decadent results every time.

What You Need to Make Texas Sheet Cake

For the cake

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup hot water
• 5 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

How to Make Texas Sheet Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line an 11 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

For the cake:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and hot water. Sift in the cocoa powder and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the cocoa and melt the butter.
3. Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the sour cream, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing until the batter is smooth and uniform.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cake is set and springs back lightly when touched.

While the cake bakes, make the frosting

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, milk, vanilla, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Remove immediately from the heat.
2. Whisk in the powdered sugar gradually until the frosting is smooth and glossy. If the frosting cools too much before the cake is ready, keep it warm over very low heat while stirring occasionally.
3. When the cake is hot from the oven, pour the warm frosting over the top and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, or serve warm for a gooey finish.

Why This Cake Is So Chocolatey

This recipe leans on dark cocoa powder to deliver a deep, rich chocolate flavor. While milk chocolate fans may prefer a milder taste, dark cocoa gives the cake a pronounced chocolate profile that stands up to the frosting. Both the cake and the frosting include generous amounts of cocoa — intentionally — so every bite sings chocolate.

If you prefer a slightly milder flavor, you can substitute a blend of natural and Dutch-process cocoa, but for the fullest chocolate impact, use a quality dark cocoa powder.

Give the recipe a try and adjust cocoa intensity to your taste. This sheet cake is easy to scale and always a crowd-pleaser.

Save and Share

If you make this cake, feel free to leave feedback or share a photo. I enjoy seeing how people customize and serve it.

Yield: Up to 25 servings

Texas Sheet Cake

The most delicious classic Texas Sheet Cake: moist, chocolatey, and topped with a smooth chocolate frosting.

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup hot water
• 5 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line an 11 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the cake:

1. Whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Combine butter and hot water in a saucepan, sift in cocoa, and bring to a boil while stirring.
3. Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients, stir to combine, then add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Spread batter in the prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes, until set and springy to the touch.

While the cake bakes, make the frosting.

1. Heat butter, cocoa, milk, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.
2. Keep frosting warm if the cake needs longer in the oven.
3. Pour warm frosting over the warm cake and spread evenly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

25

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 282
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 47mg
Sodium: 125mg
Carbohydrates: 41g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 31g
Protein: 2g