Description
A classic Texas sheet cake with rich cocoa, tender crumb, and a silky butter-cocoa icing that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients: beat eggs with buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients; stir just until moistened.
- Slowly add hot water; stir until batter is thin and lump-free.
- Pour batter evenly into a greased and parchment-lined 15×10-inch sheet pan.
- Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for 20–25 minutes; test doneness with a toothpick.
- Cool cake on a rack while preparing frosting.
- For frosting: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in milk and cocoa powder until bubbling.
- Remove from heat; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold in chopped pecans if desired.
- Pour warm frosting over the cake, spreading to edges to soak in.
Notes
Avoid overbaking to keep cake moist. Use an oven thermometer for accuracy. For a mocha twist, add instant coffee to hot water. Store covered at room temperature up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg