This easy homemade Texas Sheet Cake will become your go-to treat for special occasions and everyday indulgences alike. Cakes with buttermilk are rich and moist and a creamy fudgy frosting adds the perfect finishing touch.
This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated with step-by-step instructions and photos, FAQs, and other additional information.
Why this recipe works
- Rich and moist - This Texas sheet cake has a deep chocolate flavor and is incredibly moist - thank you buttermilk! This homemade chocolate cake is the perfect indulgence for special occasions. But, honestly, it's just as perfect for those everyday chocolate cravings.
- Uses pantry staples - This cake and frosting come together mostly with ingredients you likely have on hand.
- Quick and easy - The cake batter is easy to prepare and takes less than 20 minutes to bake. This cake should be frosted while warm, so no need to wait for the cake to cool.
- No fussy cake-decorating skills are required! Nothing is easier than frosting a sheet pan cake. If you're not a fan of fussy cake decorating, this cake is for you!
- Feeds a crowd - This recipe makes a half-sheet pan - that's about 24 portions depending on how large you slice the pieces. So, this cake is perfect for potlucks, birthdays, large gatherings, and casual game-day spreads. For smaller groups, the recipe can easily be cut in half (see notes in the recipe card below). A half recipe fits a quarter sheet pan and yields 12 slices.
NOTE: All the photos in this post depict images using a half recipe.
Ingredient notes
Cake batter
- Buttermilk adds moisture and yields a tender crumb.
- Butter and oil - This combination also contributes to a moist cake crumb.
- Cocoa powder provides a deep chocolate flavor. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey's.
Fudge Frosting
The fudgy frosting whips up quickly with just five ingredients: powdered sugar, butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. The acidic tang of the buttermilk helps to balance out the sweetness of the powdered sugar.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
PRO TIP: Gather and measure out the ingredients ahead of time. This cake comes together quickly so it's most helpful to have the ingredients ready and within easy reach.
Let's start with the cake batter!
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Sift the flour and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Add the oil, butter, cocoa powder, and water to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to ensure the cocoa powder is smoothly incorporated.
- Add butter and cocoa mixture to the flour and sugar and stir until incorporated.
- Add buttermilk, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and eggs, and mix until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased half-sheet pan (18 x 13 in) and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 3-5 minutes before frosting.
While the cake bakes, prepare the icing.
- Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Combine the butter and cocoa powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth.
- Add the butter mixture and the vanilla extract to the powdered sugar. Using the whisk attachment, mix - slowly at first - to combine. Blend until well incorporated. The mixture will be very thick and dry.
- Add the buttermilk, starting with 6 tablespoons. Whisk until creamy and smooth. Add more buttermilk as needed until the desired consistency is reached. Frosting should be creamy, smooth, and easily spreadable.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting on the warm cake.
When completely cool, cover and store at room temperature.
Recipe tips
- Measure out all of the ingredients before you start baking. This cake comes together quickly so it's very helpful to have everything ready to go.
- Sift the powdered sugar for the frosting to eliminate any lumps.
- Frost the cake while warm. The cake only needs to cool for 3-5 minutes before frosting.
Frequently asked questions
Cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans and does not contain sugar. The best substitute is unsweetened baking chocolate. Use one ounce of unsweetened chocolate for every three tablespoons of cocoa powder.
You will need a half-sheet pan measuring 18x13x1 inches for this recipe. For small-batch baking, cut the recipe in half and use a quarter sheet pan (13x9x1 inches). To make a half recipe of this sheet cake with buttermilk, in the recipe card below, change the number of servings to 12. The ingredient amounts will recalculate. Prepare as directed, baking for 9-11 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
A sheet cake is baked in a large, flat pan while a regular cake is typically baked in round pans. The cake rounds are then layered with frosting. Sheet cakes are fuss-free and easy to frost. Layered cakes are usually covered with frosting on the top and the sides which requires a little more attention to detail.
Yes, you can use this Texas sheet cake batter for cupcakes. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners and fill ⅔ full with the batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Frost and enjoy!
Yes, this cake can be frozen. Bake, frost, and cool completely. Flash-freeze until firm, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Serve, warming slightly if desired.
Tools needed
- Saucepan
- Mesh strainer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Half sheet pan
- Stand mixer - Using a mixer for the frosting is helpful but not required. The frosting can be mixed together by hand.
- Offset spatula - Makes spreading the frosting easy.
Try these chocolate recipes next
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Texas Sheet Cake with Buttermilk
EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 8 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- 8 tablespoons buttermilk
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Sift the flour and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the oil, butter, cocoa powder, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until smooth.
- Add the butter mixture to the flour and sugar and stir until incorporated.
- Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and mix until fully combined.
- Pour into ungreased half-sheet pan (18 x 13 in) (Note 2) and bake 15-18 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 3-5 minutes before frosting.
Frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- In a saucepan, combine butter and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth.
- Add the butter mixture to the powdered sugar along with the vanilla extract. Whisk until well incorporated. The mixture will be thick and dry.
- Add 6 tablespoons of buttermilk and blend - starting slowly - until combined. Continue whisking until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining buttermilk as needed to create a spreadable consistency.
- Spread the frosting on the warm cake using an offset spatula. When completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Gather and measure the ingredients ahead of time. This cake comes together quickly so it's most helpful to have the ingredients ready and within easy reach.
- The pan can be lined with parchment paper, but this is not necessary.
- For small-batch baking, change the number of servings in the recipe card to 12. The ingredient amounts will recalculate. Prepare as noted above. Bake in a quarter sheet pan for 9-11 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Sift the powdered sugar to eliminate lumps in the frosting.
- To freeze the cake, bake, frost, and cool the cake completely. Flash freeze until firm. Then cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending upon the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
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