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Texas sheet cake
Thin chocolate cake with warm pecan fudge icing
Texas sheet cake is the big, thin chocolate cake that turns up at church potlucks, funerals and family reunions all over Texas, cut into squares straight from the tray. It is made with buttermilk and boiled cocoa butter, so it is moist and light, and the icing is poured over while the cake is still hot so it sets into a fudgy layer studded with pecans. Chef's tip: have the icing ready the moment the cake leaves the oven; warm cake plus warm icing is the whole secret.
- Total time
- 42 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the cake
For the icing
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and grease a 30 × 45 cm rimmed baking tray. Mix the 9 oz plain flour, 14 oz sugar, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground cinnamon in a big bowl.
5 minStep 2: Bring the 8 oz butter, 1 cup water and 1 oz cocoa powder to the boil in a pan, stirring, then pour over the dry mix and stir well.
4 minStep 3: Beat in the 2 eggs, ½ cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla extract to a thin batter, pour into the tray and spread to the corners.
3 minStep 4: Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the cake springs back and a skewer comes out clean.
22 minStep 5: In the last 5 minutes, melt the 4 oz butter with the 1 oz cocoa powder and ½ cup milk until bubbling, take off the heat and beat in the 16 oz icing sugar, 3 ½ oz pecans and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
5 minStep 6: Pour the hot icing over the hot cake and spread quickly; it sets as it cools. A common mistake is letting the cake cool first, which leaves the icing sitting on top instead of melting into it. Cool before cutting.
45 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does texas sheet cake take?
- About 42 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 22 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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