Chocolate Sheet Cake (Texas Sheet Cake)

The Editors
Yield
about 40 servings
Course
Credit
Ruth Southwick, Willington Baptist Church, Connecticut
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This Chocolate Sheet Cake, or Texas Sheet Cake, is a quick, moist, and delicious dessert with fudgy pourable icing. This big cake is great for birthdays, potlucks, tailgates, holidays, and a crowd! 

The added sour cream can’t be tasted but adds amazing moisture. 

Tip: Don’t worry if the batter is thin when pouring it. The cake will all come together.

This cake is Texas big! But you can freeze it. When baking, cover the bottom of your baking pan with foil. Once the cake cools, cover it with storage wrap, and then at least one layer of foil. Put in freezer.

Cake:

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose white flour
2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 11-inch by 17-inch pan (also known as a jelly roll pan).

Make the cake: 

  1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Then, stir in the 1/4 cup cocoa and water. Bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Beat in sour cream and eggs.
  3. Stir the cocoa mixture into the mixing bowl until blended.
  4. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. 
  5. Bake for about 22 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the icing:

Icing

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5 to 6 tablespoons milk
1 box (1 pound) confectioners' sugar (4-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Combine all the icing ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
  2. Pour the warm frosting on the warm cake. (Don’t let the icing cool, as it will turn into fudge quickly!)
  3. Let cake cool set and cool before serving.
     
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The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors

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