Texas Sheet Chocolate Cake (Printer-friendly)

A moist, thin chocolate sheet topped with warm, fudgy icing and optional nuts for extra texture.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
07 - 1 cup water
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Fudgy Icing

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
13 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
14 - 1/3 cup whole milk
15 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon if using.
03 - In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until smooth.
04 - Pour the hot butter-chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
05 - Whisk eggs, sour cream, and vanilla in a small bowl, then add to the batter and mix until smooth.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - While the cake bakes, melt butter with cocoa powder and milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and just boiling; remove from heat.
08 - Immediately whisk in sifted powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, then stir in nuts if desired.
09 - Pour warm icing over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, spreading quickly with an offset spatula.
10 - Let the cake cool at room temperature until the icing is set. Cut into squares and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's impossibly moist because the cake and icing merge while both are warm, creating this tender, almost-fudgy texture that stays soft for days.
  • Feeds a crowd with minimal fuss—one pan, one bowl for the batter, and you're basically done before anyone realizes you're cooking.
  • The timing is forgiving enough that you won't stress, but the results look and taste like you actually know what you're doing.
02 -
  • Timing is everything—the icing must go on the cake while both are hot, or it will harden on top instead of sinking into the crumb and creating that signature moist interior.
  • Use a half-sheet pan with a rim, not a regular baking pan; the dimensions matter because they create the thin cake that's meant to absorb all that icing.
  • Don't skip sifting the powdered sugar in the icing; unsifted sugar creates lumps that feel grainy against your tongue and ruin the silky texture.
03 -
  • Have your icing ready and waiting as the cake comes out of the oven—any delay means the cake cools and won't absorb the icing as generously.
  • An offset spatula makes spreading the warm icing effortless and creates a more even finish than a regular knife.
  • Room-temperature cake tastes better than cold cake here, so resist the urge to refrigerate it; the texture transforms into something less tender when chilled.
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