Texas Sheet Cake
A dense, fudgy chocolate cake baked in a large sheet pan, topped with a rich chocolate icing made from butter, cocoa, and sweetened condensed milk. This no-fuss dessert is a Southern classic, perfect for potlucks and family gatherings.
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Icing
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter
- 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 0.5 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 18x13-inch jelly-roll pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a saucepan, combine the water and vegetable oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the hot liquid into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should be firm but still slightly soft.
- While the cake is still warm, prepare the icing: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the cocoa powder until smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract until the icing is glossy and well combined.
- Immediately pour the warm icing over the warm cake and spread evenly to cover the entire surface.
- Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before cutting and serving.
Notes
For best results, do not refrigerate the cake—serve at room temperature. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.