Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Cakes & Muffins, Desserts
Party Food, Chocolate, Texas Classics, Southern Favorites

Serves about 24

This rich, fudgy and simple cake for a crowd became popular in the middle of the 20th century, although its exact origins are unknown. Also known as Texas Funeral Cake, this has been a fixture at southern church functions for decades. It's easy to make and invariably popular.

Ingredients #

  • For the Cake: #

    • 1/2 cup buttermilk
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 2 cups flour, plus more for the pan
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing the pan, room temperature
    • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
    • 6 tbsp. cocoa powder
    • 1 cup water

  • For the Icing: #

    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
    • 6 tbsp. buttermilk
    • 6 tbsp. cocoa powder
    • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
    • 1 lb. powdered sugar
    • 1 cup pecan pieces, plus more for sprinkling on top

Instructions #

Make the Cake: #

Butter and flour a 10" by 15" cake pan. Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a medium, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and baking soda until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Place the butter, shortening, cocoa powder and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

Pour the hot mixture over the flour mixture and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until combined and smooth. Scrape this mixture into the buttermilk mixture, and continue stirring vigorously just until completely combined.\

Wash and dry the saucepan – you’ll need it in a minute.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges pull away from the pan and the center springs back when touched.

Make the Icing: #

When the cake has been in the oven for about 10 minutes, place the powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer (or another mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Combine the butter, buttermilk, and cocoa powder in your medium saucepan. Bring it a boil and quickly remove from the heat (it can scorch on the bottom). Mix to combine everything thoroughly. This won’t look great.

Pour the hot mixture into the powdered sugar, add the vanilla, and mix with the mixer until smooth. Stir in a cup of pecan pieces.

Spread the icing over the still-hot cake, covering the entire surface. Sprinkle the additional pecan pieces over the icing as desired, and allow the cake to cool to room temperature.

Cut into squares to serve.