When time is tight and you need something to feed a crowd at a picnic, potluck, or bake sale, this Texas sheet cake recipe is the answer. The fudgy single-layer cake gets its lush crumb from melted butter and a tangy boost from buttermilk. The genius of the recipe is in its timing: Right after you remove the pan from the oven, you’ll pour the liquid chocolate frosting on top of the warm cake, then sprinkle toasted nuts all over (chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds are all delicious options). The frosting melts slightly into the cake as it sets, eventually cooling into a fudge-like topping.
The cake calls for two types of cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-process. While you could use natural cocoa for both cake and frosting, Dutch-process cocoa powder will give the frosting a richer color and deep chocolate flavor. Don’t swap the opposite way, though; the cake needs the acidity present in natural cocoa to rise properly.
While some say, “Don’t mess with Texas,” this chocolate sheet cake can take a few licks: Substitute coffee for the hot water, or use ¼ cup each of sour cream and water instead of buttermilk. Swap in ½ cup of brown sugar for toasty notes or almond extract for one of the teaspoons of vanilla. If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, use two quarter-sheet pans or two 9″ round cake pans (you could even turn them into a layer cake if you went this route). Dust your Texas sheet cake with powdered sugar or cocoa powder right before you serve, or go for broke and add a scoop of ice cream.
This recipe was adapted for style from ‘Vintage Cakes’ by Julie Richardson. Buy the full book on Amazon.