This chocolatey, rich Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake recipe combines moist and tender chocolate cake with a delicious layer of smooth chocolate frosting.
This Texas sheet cake recipe with buttermilk has been passed down through generations, originating from my mother-in-law who received it from a neighbor many decades ago. It’s a true classic, with a touch of nostalgia evident in the use of ingredients like “oleo,” a mostly long forgotten word for margarine. However, this timeless Texas sheet cake recipe continues to impress with its incredibly rich and indulgent flavor.
Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake Ingredient Notes
- Vegetable Shortening – I use Crisco but any vegetable shortening that you prefer will work.
- Butter – The original recipe called for “Oleo” or margarine but I use real butter. Butter or margarine will work but I prefer the richer flavor and texture from real butter.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Hershey Cocoa Powder is my go to and most commonly available cocoa powders are unsweetened because that is what bakers typically use.
- Buttermilk – The addition of buttermilk contributes to the moist, tender texture while adding a pleasant slightly tangy flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Sift the powdered sugar so there aren’t any small lumps in the frosting.
- Nuts (optional) – Pecans are quintessentially Texan, although you can also use walnuts or any other nut of your preference.
You’ll find the complete ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below!
Butter vs Shortening
The butter or shortening can be swapped out in equal parts in this recipe. However, this may result in slightly different results.
This recipe uses a combination of shortening and butter because of how well they work together. Shortening traps more air bubbles and has a higher melting point, resulting in a cake that rises higher, holds its shape during baking, and has a soft interior texture. On the other hand, while shortening lacks flavor, the addition of butter adds a rich and buttery taste to the chocolate cake. Crisco even recognized this limitation when they developed Crisco Butter Flavor Shortening, although you’ll still miss the naturally occurring ingredients and water that butter contains.
How to Make Texas Sheet Cake
Here is a quick summary for making this chocolate cake with the complete instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Boil chocolate mixture
- Combine dry ingredients
- Add wet ingredients
- Bake the cake
- Make the frosting while cake is baking
- Pour the frosting over the hot cake
- Cool and serve
Recipe Tips
Oven time – Ovens and pan sizes may vary so keep an eye on the cake as baking time may vary.
Frosting consistency – The frosting should have a slightly thin consistency, allowing it to be poured onto the cake, and it will thicken as it cools.
Frosting timing – Begin preparing the frosting when the cake is slightly more than halfway through baking. This allows the icing to set and cool while still on the cake, preventing it from firming too early.
Cinnamon – Try adding a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for a flavorful twist. The cinnamon in the chocolate cake serves as a subtle complement, adding warm and spicy notes similar to the cinnamon found in Mexican chocolates.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
The Texas Sheet Cake can be made up to 2 to 3 days ahead of time. Both the cake and the frosting need to be made at the same time, as the cake should be just slightly cooled when the frosting is poured.
To store, once the cake has cooled, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay fresh for a couple of days.
For freezing, allow the cake to cool completely, then double wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, remove the wrapped cake from the freezer and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake
This chocolatey, rich Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake recipe combines moist and tender chocolate cake with a delicious layer of smooth chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs, beaten
Frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons whole or 2% milk
- 3 1/2 cups (16oz box) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 11 x 17-inch pan or similar size and set aside.
- In a large bowl add flour and sugar. Mix to combine.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add vegetable shortening, water, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Pour chocolate mixture over sugar and flour and mix well.
- Add buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and eggs and mix well to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frosting
- Begin making the frosting once the cake is more than halfway done.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, cocoa, and milk. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla, and nuts (optional) and stir until smooth.
- After the cake has slightly cooled from oven for 3-5 minutes, pour the frosting over the cake, and spread quickly before it sets.
Notes
Ovens and pan sizes may vary so keep an eye on the cake as baking time may vary.
Allow the frosting to set as the cake cools to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Any similar sized or sheet pan or jelly roll pan to a 11x17 will work such as as a 10x15, 11x16 or 12x18. Oven times may slightly vary.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 239Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 4g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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