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This chocolate sheet cake recipe makes a moist, delicious chocolate cake some call a Texas Sheet Cake.
Are y’all ready for the most delicious chocolate cake that has ever graced the end of a fork? Fudgy, moist, and oh so chocolatey, this is the chocolate cake of any chocolate lover’s dreams.
I grew up with Mother making this dessert when their friends were coming to supper. Now I realize this chocolate sheet cake was a key to her supper’s success. And you know what? I’m not ashamed to say that I copy her just a little bit. Okay, a lot. There’s no sense in messing up what works, is there?
Her recipe for chocolate sheet cake has made me friends and definitely influenced a lot of people. It’s that good.
Promise.
But do me a favor. Have a big ole glass of milk ready when you get a piece. You’ll definitely thank me.
Here’s how you make it.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Then melt a stick of butter in a heavy bottomed pan.
I sure like recipes that start with melt a stick of butter.
Mmm, mmm.
Add in your cocoa and stir well.
Next, pour in your oil and water.
Heat to a boil and then remove from the heat.
Add in your flour, salt, and sugar.
Mix well.
Pour in your eggs one at a time. Mixing well after each one.
Next, pour in your buttermilk.
And then your baking soda.
Mix it all together and then pour into a rectangular baking dish or baking sheet.
Place in your preheated oven and while your cake is baking, go ahead and make your icing.
Again, you are going to melt butter and cocoa.
They are the staples of this dessert and I’m oh so proud that they are.
Once they have melted, add in all of the other icing ingredients with the exception of the vanilla.
Heat to a boil and then remove from the heat.
Pour in your vanilla.
Pour icing over warm cake and then run far away so that you don’t immediately cut a big hunk out of the cake.
You’ll want to let the icing harden just a bit or it crumbles some.
Like this.
See how the top is breaking?
That’s because I didn’t wait until it cooled until I cut myself a piece.
Hey, don’t judge. I’m just lucky that a picture was taken of these babies before they all disappeared!
I’ve made this chocolate sheet cake eleventy-billion times and this is the only picture I have of it!
You’ll see why when you taste it.
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- ½ cup butter
- 3 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- For the Icing:
- 1/2 cu[ butter
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt butter and cocoa in heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.
- Add water and oil.
- Heat to boil and then remove from the heat.
- Add flour, salt, and sugar. Mix well.
- Add eggs one at a time. Pour in buttermilk and soda. Mix well.
- Pour into 9×13 baking dish or sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
- For the icing:
- Melt butter and cocoa.
- Add other ingredients except vanilla.
- Heat to boil then remove from heat.
- Add in vanilla and mix well.
- Pour over warm cake.
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I was almost baking the chocolate cake with you, Robyn 🙂 Alas could not taste it 🙁 Love the way you added all the ingredients and made the batter, the cocoa frosting is the real icing on this delightful cake!
OH. MY.
What I wouldn’t give for a delicious bite of that!
That cake looks so rich and wonderful- more like a brownie than a cake. Now I’m truely craving some chocolate! I’d love for you to stop by for the recipe swap I host every Wedesnday to show off a recipe or two. Have a blessed day 🙂
Katie
I just made this recipe for me and my boyfriend and we LOVE IT!! I’ve never topped a cake with anything other than frosting before, so it was new for me to try out a topping like this. The whole recipe is really fun to make! Thanks for sharing!
One can never have too many chocolate cakes recipes. Thanks for this one. I’ll be making it soon.
As a lover of chocolate cake, I’ll definitely be adding this one to the collection! 🙂 I’m sure with some ice cream and milk, I’d only be able to eat 4 helpings..lol
Hello Robyn,
I just made your Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe and the sponge was great the only problem I had is the topping. I allowed the cake and topping to cool for about 3 hours but the topping was grainy. Not quite sure what went wrong I allowed the butter cocoa and icing with milk to boil before switching off and then added the vanilla but the icing sugar didnt melt in to the butter as I expected it to I was hoping for a smooth frosting…….what went wrong ?
Kind Regards
Saema