My late baby brother used to call this treat a “Sheep Cake.” It was his favorite from the time he was a toddler till his death from cancer in 2017 at 56 years of age. This made me smile, thank you for the stroll. 😊
I'm from Dallas and I grew up eating this cake! The only thing we add to ours is Cinnamon (about a Tbsp) to the icing while it's still warm. It makes a big difference! Try it the next time you make it ; I think you'll enjoy it even more! 😎
I’ve made this cake 5 times since this video hit , for my kids , neighbors, coworkers and everyone loves it . This is honestly the best chocolate cake recipe from scratch that I’ve ever had . You Rock ! Thank you !!!❤
My family is from Texas and I grew up eating this cake, but I'm from the northeast so no one I knew had ever heard of it! My mom's recipe card is just titled "Delicious Chocolate Cake", and it blew my mind the first time I saw a youtube recipe and learned the cake has a name! It also works well in a normal 9x13 cake pan 😋
@@rmiller8000 no, just mix it up and pour it in. I have always made it in a 9X13. I don’t put nuts in mine, we all like it without. I once added orange extract because we love those two flavors together, but no one loved it. So I won’t ever try to improve on perfection. Also, have seen that this cake is made all over the country and not necessarily called Texas Sheet cake, but since I’m a Texan, and the cake is fabulous I think we Texans should claim it! 😂
I grew up in Minneapolis and these were called buttermilk bars in the 1960s. No sour cream but with buttermilk in the cake and frosting. The recipe is almost identical. 1/4 cup cocoa 1 C butter 1 C water Bring to boil Blend 2 C flour, 2 C sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 C buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix all and bake in a 1/2 sheet pan at 350° for 25 - 30 minutes. Frosting: 5 TBSP buttermilk 1/2 C butter 1/4 Cocoa Bring to boil. Add 2 C powdered sugar and 1 C chopped nuts. Can add more buttermilk if the frosting is too thick.
Texas Sheet Cake is my all time fav cake. Sometimes, I just make the frosting and eat it (not all at once but that frosting is like fudge). YUM. Great. I'm doing Whole30 and now I want cake! Must resist...must resist! I'll live vicariously through you! 🙂
When I was in high school, one of our band moms always made this for us to take on band trips. She used a butter pecan frosting, though. Yes, I’m Texan. Yum!
I make this cake with a couple differences. Where the recipe used calls for water, I add cold coffee, instead. I also add vanilla to the icing and cake. Otherwise, its the same cake and amazingly delicious.
Growing up in Texas, this cake was the standard for all birthdays or just any day! I would recommend adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake batter...so yummy!
I recommend making this in an 11x17 jelly roll pan as using a cookie sheet makes the cake too thin. Also, most recipes include cinnamon and buttermilk. Native Texan here, and my mom made this for my birthday each year until her passing. Now I make one for myself each birthday to remember her kind gesture.
I hit like before watching this video because I've been crossing my fingers, hoping you would answer my prayers for Texas Sheet Cake recipe! You never let us down, John!!
My mom used to make this for me for my birthday when I was a teenager. This is so soft and good, it's almost like a brownie. I just had my 56th birthday and I was just thinking about finding this recipe. NEVER searched for it or looked anywhere. Just a thought. And same day-randomly this popped up in my youtube suggestions. I of course just subbed. Thank you Universe, and thank you preppy kitchen :)
I love the addition of sour cream! I also add a spoon of instant espresso to the batter and use a serrated bread knife for my pecans (or filberts) to keep them from flying all over the place. Thank you for this and the addition of sour cream. PS: As a Southerner, I've been eating this for for five decades as "German's Chocolate Cake." It's like "French Onion Soup." In France it's just "soupe à l'oignon," and I never heard the reference to Texas until recently. Even then, I thought it was a reference to its size, as in "everything's bigger in Texas."
If there was one smell to describe my childhood it would be Tx sheet cake!! My mom made it all the time and it is my favorite cake! The smell of this cake baking fills my entire home and it’s my happy smell (if that’s a thing!) 😂 Mom told me it’s called Texas sheet cake bc every good Texan (boys and girls) should know how to make a proper chocolate dessert. 🧡🤘🏻
My mom, who was from Texas, made this same cake with a dash of cinnamon that was slightly noticeable. I am not a cinnamon lover at all but it works in this cake.
I grew up in the 60's, and my mom used to make this wonderful cake. Since we lived in Indiana, we never called it chocolate sheet cake. And if my memory is accurate, Mom used walnuts. Delicious cake!
Always a favorite and treat in the Teacher Lounge along with it's partner in crime ... Jell-O Poke Cake. LOL ... Made this as a birthday cake for a friend eons ago whose marriage was on the rocks ... We all loved it and he was one happy camper. Always brings good memories. This cake BEGS for a scoop of vanilla ice cream! For those wondering if you should make it ... don't think twice! It's actually pretty easy. For summer picnics, it's a must along with potato salads ... etc.
This cake was featured in the public-school menu in the school system where I once worked. It was delicious then, and decades later I now have the recipe to try at home. The cake tastes like the classic Hershey's fudge.
Momma made this all the time, we are from Texas. I have also heard it called Texas welcome cake, to make for new neighbors. This also freezes great. Pecans are not optional for a Texas cake.
Thanks for taking me back to childhood memories of my mom’s Texas cake. It’s decadently delicious on its own and also pairs well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I used to make this often when I lived in ohio. My daughter in law was born and raised in Texas and had never heard of it. 🤣 It's so moist and delicious 😋. I haven't made this in years. I think I will make it soon.
My mother's family is from Texas. They had their own recipe and friends had their versions. We called it "sheath cake." My dad was from the northeast and loved this cake but not a fan of the pecans, so my mom substituted chopped maraschino cherries. I think she drained them pretty well before mixing into the icing. My siblings and I loved it with the cherries.
I just made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! I used walnuts instead of pecans and I toasted them in the pan beforehand and it was so good. The toasted walnuts added a nice crunch and roasted flavor to go with the moist and delicious cake and frosting. I would 100% make this again. The cake was also very quick and easy to make so it was perfect for my last minute potluck at work. This recipe makes a huge amount of cake too so it would be great for a birthday party or gathering. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
My mom has made this cake for years. She uses buttermilk instead of sour creme. During the Christmas season she changes the frosting out for mint flavored creme cheese frosting and it excellent. Just let the cake cool and do a rough coating of the creme cheese frosting. Let the cake cool completely amd finish frosting. Add peppermint candy canes that have been crushed as a garnish.
As an actual Texan, let me tell you that a FAR more delicious way to make this is to spread marshmallow fluff over the hot cake after it comes out of the oven. Then let it cool completely before pouring the frosting over it. It’s the greatest dessert for potlucks, casual parties, or just whenever. My mother made this quite often when I was growing up in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. She even made it for my 50th birthday a few years back, after not having made it for decades. It brought back all sorts of memories!
Story, my sister called me for a recipe for a large cake because she needed it for a orchid club that she was providing refreshments for. It was a large group so I gave her my recipe for Texas Sheet Cake! Easy enough to do and fast! Oh my recipe called for baking it in a large sheet pan, big cake! So since it was a new recipe for her she cut a very small corner of the cake to test it and really liked! She had to do some other errands and left the cake in the custody of my brother in law and nephew! Well when she returned home there were a couple of small squares and many crumb, I think she had to bake it again!
I made these today, and THANK YOU!…they are just as I remembered my mom making it and as she has passed and no one can find her recipe, your video was such a blessing… my kids LOVED them! Said they tasted just like their grandmas . Now to see if the grandkids like them lol, they like everything grandma makes ! I am SO blessed
I’m a 64 year old native of south Texas and this has been a favorite in our family since I was a little girl. I still make it once in a while for our family gatherings or pot luck dinners. One of the best chocolate cake recipes around!
First time making one of his recipes. I've wanted to try this cake and when his version popped up I thought nows the perfect time to make it myself. Finally made it this weekend. Pretty easy to follow. Delicious. The cake was, and stayed, soft and tender. A must if you love pecans and chocolate together.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. We use buttermilk in the icing instead of regular milk. Only difference is the icing and cake both have buttermilk instead of regular milk.
I could watch you bake all day...something about your pace and voice that is just so soothing and makes me smile. I made your banana chocolate chip muffins today and they are delish! This cake is something I might just make this weekend! Thanks!
This was literally the first thing my mom had me make as a little girl. I've been baking it for over 40 years now, and it's always delicious. I'm from southeast Texas and have never heard anyone refer to it as a "Texas" sheet cake. It was always just "chocolate sheet cake." Oh, and you can totally leave out the sour cream. It's good either way.
I remember having this in school lunchroom during elementary school. Lubbock Texas. When lunches were made by your grandma and not centralized processed stuff.
John!!!!!! I'm a Spanish girl living in Texas who decided to bake this for my colleague's birthday. It was so simple and it turned out so well!!!! It was delicious!!! They all loved it!! Thank you for making things look easy (they are indeed!), so we dare give them a try!!!!!!!
I'm from west Texas but had never heard of this cake until TH-cam. Last month, someone from church brought brought this cake. It was absolutely delicious. 😋 She used the pioneer woman's recipe. I will have to try this one.
18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet ▢ Mixing Bowls ▢ Electric mixer (optionFor the Cake: ▢1 cup water (240mL) ▢1 cup unsalted butter (226g) ▢¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g) ▢2 cups all-purpose flour (240g) ▢2 cups granulated sugar (400g) ▢1 teaspoon baking soda ▢½ teaspoon salt ▢½ cup sour cream (120g) ▢2 large eggs ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract For the Frosting: ▢½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (141g) ▢½ cup whole milk (120mL) ▢¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g) ▢4 cups powdered sugar (480g) ▢1 cup finely chopped pecans optional (113g)Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan with baking spray. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs. Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. (You can use a wooden spoon too, but the mixture will be stiff so I like to use a hand mixer.) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. While the cake is baking, make the frosting. For the Frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, milk, and cocoa.Add the warm butter mixture to the batter and carefully beat together on the lowest speed until well blended and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and smooth into an even layer.
Native Houstonian, ancestors all Irish-German settlers from the New Braunfels Seguin, TX area, everywhere this cake is made and sold in German bakeries, the pecans added were the only nuts at the time..
In the 1980's in Texas, this cake showed up at every potluck. Whether a workplace lunch or casual gathering, this cake was there. My friends and I simply referred to it as, "That Cake". The recipe I use for it was from a friend of an acquaintance whose name was Carol. Around my house the cake was called Carol's Cake due to the recipe. My sons are now in their mid-thirties, the cake has become known to the public as Texas sheet cake, but when asked to bring it to a family gathering the request is still for Carol's Cake. Thank you Carol, whoever you are.
Ours was called "Marsha's Cake" for my mom's friend who passed it on to us. Used buttermilk instead of sour cream. Lots of birthdays with this cake and homemade vanilla ice cream in the 1970s Kansas.
I was so surprised that you didn’t hit this with a kiss of your vanilla! I’ve had this once several years ago and have been craving it since. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I was born and raised in Texas and loved this cake growing up. It was a staple sold at all high school sports events. I believe the origins of this cake came from the numerous German immigrants that settled in South central and East central Texas in the mid 1800’s. They adapted the recipe to the ingredients that were available to them. Pecan trees are plentiful to that area, thus the chopped pecans topping the cake. I grew up and ran around the Weimar, Schulenburg and Columbus, Texas area. There is also a white sheet cake version, but chocolate is my favorite. The ones I grew up eating were made with buttermilk instead of sour cream.
I’m a Texas girl and grew up eating this luscious dessert. My mom always added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter and she used buttermilk instead of sour cream. We had a cow who gave gallons of milk daily so we always had homemade buttermilk. It wasn’t that vinegar/milk mixture substitute but the real thing. The sour cream and buttermilk are interchangeable. Anyway, it’s a family favorite. I like to use some strong black coffee in place of the water. It really accentuates the chocolate flavor.
I remember my Mom making this to take to picnics. Definitely a good old fashioned cake, almost a very cakey brownie texture. And yes she made it with Baker's chocolate.
I’ve made this cake my whole life. My kids were raised on this cake here in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Many of the first Anglo settlers in Texas were of German decent. We still celebrate the culture here. Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, Castroville, and many towns in between are still alive and vibrant and celebrate their heritage with great food and beer festivals (Octoberfest.) Just a tip: we brown our butter, both for the cake and the frosting. Give it a try. You certainly won’t forget it. 😃
I think this is my old Brownie Cake recipe (from Texas) that I have made since high school. Just made it the other day. And it makes delicious cupcakes but don't use this recipe's frosting for those, just a simple buttercream works better. Nice to see it get a wider audience.
My family lives in Houston, Texas. My mom use to make something similar to this and she called it Ellie Mae cake. It also had a touch of cinnamon in it. Her friends at my school in the PTA would beg her to make it and bring to them.
Yep. I grew up in East Texas and had this cake all of the time. The texture of the chocolate icing is what makes it special. Of course, we didn't call it "Texas" sheet cake. It was just "sheet cake." Woulda' been redundant.
I grew up in Wisconsin and this was in a church cookbook from the 70’s. It was called just “Sheet Cake” but for some reason, we called it Granny Cake. The only differences are buttermilk instead of sour cream and unsweetened chocolate instead of cocoa. I love this cake!
As a kid, a fishing trip with dad to Guaymas, Mexico always included a tray of Texas sheet cake. My mom's version included cinnamon and I was never really a fan. As I've gotten older I realized I love cinnamon rolls, but I don't like cinnamon in most other foods. Weird, I know and I'm not a big fan of nutmeg either. So thank you for this non-Cinnamon version, I really appreciate it! It really looks amazing and I'll probably make it tomorrow.
I grew up in the Dallas area and Texas Sheet Cake was (and still is) a family favorite. However, our recipe doesn’t have sour cream and we add cinnamon and buttermilk. Texas is a pretty big state, perhaps your recipe came from a different region of Texas! 😉😂🤣 Regardless, I’m confident they are both equally delicious! 😋
Seems everyone grew up on this cake but me! My mom had me make box cakes, I didn't get this sheet cake til my sister-in-law made it all the time. Then I taught myself way before internet days, mine uses buttermilk but I'll try sour cream next time. Thanks, PK and yes to boiled milk frosting.
I have made this recipe for years. It is delicious. The only difference in mine, is that I use a cup of black coffee in place of the water when making the cake batter.
I should never make this delicious cake because I can eat the whole thing myself! I cut a generous piece of cake, pour a large glass of milk and start eating, sadly my piece of cake runs out before my milk, so I’m forced to get more cake, then moments later my milk glass is empty, so I’m forced to get more milk……I think you can see where this is going! Seriously one of the best cakes I’ve ever had in my life. A dear cousin from Odessa, Tx gave me the recipe in the early 70’s. After I got back home to Cali after visiting relatives in Tx I think we made this cake at least once a week for ages and ages!
This was a staple in my house for any birthday or special occasion when I was growing up. You will get a fluffier cake if you use a hand mixer. You want lots of bubbles in your batter so that when you add the frosting, it will sink down into your cake. It's always better the second day, too.
Well someone in the family calls it “Death Cake.” Over the years, it became a realization that it was often shared/given when a death occurred. On the lighter side, it’s always enjoyed on any occasion.
This cake convinced me that moving to Texas was a good idea. I think it was named after the sheet pan, and everybody's mother/aunt/sister/wife considers their cherished family recipe the best ever. It's the bedrock of the dessert table at every church social and reunion. Pecans are NOT optional, and I have five century-old pecan trees, so I'm not talking out of my hat. Toasting them is vital. Charm a Yankee by making them this cake. You'll have a friend for life.
Ok so the story you told, is what id heard also with one addition; the recipe was created for the school cafeterias which is why it's a sheet cake. Quick to make, no cooling needed. I also have the school cafeteria vanilla sheet cake recipe! Just as easy to put together and bake. WHY DID they stop making REAL food for schools? Love ya baby ❤️
This reminds me of Mississippi mud cake but without marshmallows. My mom used to make it for me when I was younger. Would love to see your take on it, John!
Try this in a Bundt cake pan. The center will be very moist ! Heat the frosting with the sugar to just boiling and the frosting is like fudge ❤ Nothing like it in the world…💕
I love a good Texas sheet cake, but I like my cake much thicker. In fact, I have made it in layers with the chocolate between the layers and on top. Totally awesome for we chocolate lovers
It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even watch the videos until I’m trying to make it myself and just immediately print out the recipe once I see a new video from him❤
My mom made this and I have been making it for fifty years. Never a crumb left where ever I take it. I don’t use sour cream but do add cinnamon with the dry ingredients. Mom called it Texas sheet cake but I found the recipe in an old cookbook and it was called cookie sheet cake.
I am from NYS and my mother started making this cake in the early 1960’s - the original recipe from that time put the baking soda into 1/2 cup of sour cream which expands it- this is blended in last- sometimes I use plain or vanilla yogurt instead of sour cream- Everyone in my family still makes this recipe as do many other people I know- perhaps it’s called Texas sheet cake because it’s a large cake- also there are other differences in the original such as it called for margarine - although we long ago switched to butter tried to track down where this recipe came from - but the woman who passed it around is long gone - it’s still my family’s favorite chocolate cake- I don’t put nuts in the icing though - sometimes I sprinkle some finely ground on- it wasn’t called for in the original however
My late baby brother used to call this treat a “Sheep Cake.” It was his favorite from the time he was a toddler till his death from cancer in 2017 at 56 years of age. This made me smile, thank you for the stroll. 😊
Sending a hug for you and your brother's spirit.
Aw I’m so sorry may he rest in peace ❤
@@youretoopolitical8611 Thank you for your kindness.😊
@@Sierrawoodard727 Thank you so much for the kind words.😊
Rest well,Sir.
Yes, boiled milk icing and hot milk cake, too, would be great.
Everything on this channel is either easy, amazing, or delicious.
Or all of the above!!
Always amazing AND delicious, sometimes easy 😋
All of the above....
Or all three!
😂who doesn’t love that?
I'm from Dallas and I grew up eating this cake! The only thing we add to ours is Cinnamon (about a Tbsp) to the icing while it's still warm. It makes a big difference! Try it the next time you make it ; I think you'll enjoy it even more! 😎
I add the cinnamon to the cake but the cinnamon to the icing sounds amazing!
oh yeah...the cinnamon takes it to another glorious level!! I'm from Ft. Worth and this cake is loved by everyone that eats it!
I grew up in Oak Cliff and I never ate this. Boo!
Yes! The frosting is always prepared with cinnamon, that’s How we always had it 😊
thank you!
Another Texan here and my mom always made it with cinnamon, but my friend's mom did not. Both were true Texans and I never said no to either cake.
I’ve made this cake 5 times since this video hit , for my kids , neighbors, coworkers and everyone loves it . This is honestly the best chocolate cake recipe from scratch that I’ve ever had . You Rock ! Thank you !!!❤
These are some really good from scratch chocolate cakes.
th-cam.com/video/RXBJhNpPBO4/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/H5emPx_N1Yc/w-d-xo.html
My family is from Texas and I grew up eating this cake, but I'm from the northeast so no one I knew had ever heard of it! My mom's recipe card is just titled "Delicious Chocolate Cake", and it blew my mind the first time I saw a youtube recipe and learned the cake has a name!
It also works well in a normal 9x13 cake pan 😋
OMG, I love that she called it delicious chocolate cake. Very accurate!!
🧁🧁🧁👍💓
Do you change anything to make in 9x13 pan?
@@rmiller8000 I bake at 375F for ~30 mins, and make about 2/3 as much icing because there's less surface to cover!
@@rmiller8000 no, just mix it up and pour it in. I have always made it in a 9X13. I don’t put nuts in mine, we all like it without. I once added orange extract because we love those two flavors together, but no one loved it. So I won’t ever try to improve on perfection. Also, have seen that this cake is made all over the country and not necessarily called Texas Sheet cake, but since I’m a Texan, and the cake is fabulous I think we Texans should claim it! 😂
I grew up in Minneapolis and these were called buttermilk bars in the 1960s. No sour cream but with buttermilk in the cake and frosting. The recipe is almost identical.
1/4 cup cocoa
1 C butter
1 C water
Bring to boil
Blend 2 C flour, 2 C sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 C buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix all and bake in a 1/2 sheet pan at 350° for 25 - 30 minutes.
Frosting:
5 TBSP buttermilk
1/2 C butter
1/4 Cocoa
Bring to boil.
Add 2 C powdered sugar and 1 C chopped nuts. Can add more buttermilk if the frosting is too thick.
Texas Sheet Cake is my all time fav cake. Sometimes, I just make the frosting and eat it (not all at once but that frosting is like fudge). YUM.
Great. I'm doing Whole30 and now I want cake! Must resist...must resist! I'll live vicariously through you! 🙂
Even though there’s lots of butter in it, it tastes light. ❤️
When I was in high school, one of our band moms always made this for us to take on band trips. She used a butter pecan frosting, though. Yes, I’m Texan. Yum!
Oh wow.. I need that frosting recipe. 🤤
I make this cake with a couple differences. Where the recipe used calls for water, I add cold coffee, instead. I also add vanilla to the icing and cake. Otherwise, its the same cake and amazingly delicious.
Growing up in Texas, this cake was the standard for all birthdays or just any day! I would recommend adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake batter...so yummy!
Hello Denyse, Can I ask you a question?
I recommend making this in an 11x17 jelly roll pan as using a cookie sheet makes the cake too thin. Also, most recipes include cinnamon and buttermilk. Native Texan here, and my mom made this for my birthday each year until her passing. Now I make one for myself each birthday to remember her kind gesture.
Sour cream is a good replacement for buttermilk.
We're sorry for your mom's passing 😔 hope everything is going well there 😊
Yes! Cinnamon is essential to get the real TX taste!
I hit like before watching this video because I've been crossing my fingers, hoping you would answer my prayers for Texas Sheet Cake recipe! You never let us down, John!!
Ohmy gosh! I'm so happy it worked out!
BTW, my daughter and I are LOVING your book!!
My mom used to make this for me for my birthday when I was a teenager. This is so soft and good, it's almost like a brownie. I just had my 56th birthday and I was just thinking about finding this recipe. NEVER searched for it or looked anywhere. Just a thought. And same day-randomly this popped up in my youtube suggestions. I of course just subbed. Thank you Universe, and thank you preppy kitchen :)
Cuz they listen to you
@@hotpinkjalapenos I'm also learning that is true at age 56 :)
I love the addition of sour cream! I also add a spoon of instant espresso to the batter and use a serrated bread knife for my pecans (or filberts) to keep them from flying all over the place. Thank you for this and the addition of sour cream. PS: As a Southerner, I've been eating this for for five decades as "German's Chocolate Cake." It's like "French Onion Soup." In France it's just "soupe à l'oignon," and I never heard the reference to Texas until recently. Even then, I thought it was a reference to its size, as in "everything's bigger in Texas."
If there was one smell to describe my childhood it would be Tx sheet cake!! My mom made it all the time and it is my favorite cake! The smell of this cake baking fills my entire home and it’s my happy smell (if that’s a thing!) 😂
Mom told me it’s called Texas sheet cake bc every good Texan (boys and girls) should know how to make a proper chocolate dessert. 🧡🤘🏻
Once a week I bake with my sister’s grandkids-4,3 and 2 1/2. I most often use your recipes. Next week, we’ll be making this Texas cake. Thanks John!
My mom, who was from Texas, made this same cake with a dash of cinnamon that was slightly noticeable. I am not a cinnamon lover at all but it works in this cake.
My recipe uses cinnamon also. I think it taste flat without it.
Lots of fond memories of my mom making us Texas Sheet Cake! Yes please, can you do a video of your boiled milk icing recipe? Sounds heavenly!
I grew up in the 60's, and my mom used to make this wonderful cake. Since we lived in Indiana, we never called it chocolate sheet cake. And if my memory is accurate, Mom used walnuts. Delicious cake!
Walnuts sound amazing on a chocolate sheet cake! If I end up making this, I might have to add some walnuts!
Always a favorite and treat in the Teacher Lounge along with it's partner in crime ... Jell-O Poke Cake. LOL ... Made this as a birthday cake for a friend eons ago whose marriage was on the rocks ... We all loved it and he was one happy camper. Always brings good memories. This cake BEGS for a scoop of vanilla ice cream! For those wondering if you should make it ... don't think twice! It's actually pretty easy. For summer picnics, it's a must along with potato salads ... etc.
This cake was featured in the public-school menu in the school system where I once worked. It was delicious then, and decades later I now have the recipe to try at home. The cake tastes like the classic Hershey's fudge.
I love sheet cakes. Especially on birthdays. This makes me want to go to Texas and have one. Nothing like a good Texan sheet cake! 😋 😋
I totally agree!
Momma made this all the time, we are from Texas. I have also heard it called Texas welcome cake, to make for new neighbors. This also freezes great. Pecans are not optional for a Texas cake.
My mother made a white boiled frosting that was to die for. I would love the recipe!❤️
Probably milk and powder sugar and clear vanilla
Thanks for taking me back to childhood memories of my mom’s Texas cake. It’s decadently delicious on its own and also pairs well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Hello Diane, Can I ask you a question?
Omg I own an ice cream shop. I think I’ll try to make this cake today and sell it with a scoop of ice cream!
I used to make this often when I lived in ohio. My daughter in law was born and raised in Texas and had never heard of it. 🤣 It's so moist and delicious 😋. I haven't made this in years. I think I will make it soon.
Hello Sheryl, Can I ask you a question?
My mother's family is from Texas. They had their own recipe and friends had their versions. We called it "sheath cake." My dad was from the northeast and loved this cake but not a fan of the pecans, so my mom substituted chopped maraschino cherries. I think she drained them pretty well before mixing into the icing. My siblings and I loved it with the cherries.
I love this cake. I also have eaten a Scotch Chocolate cake, very similar to this, but the frosting has pecans and coconut. It is delicious also.
I just made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! I used walnuts instead of pecans and I toasted them in the pan beforehand and it was so good. The toasted walnuts added a nice crunch and roasted flavor to go with the moist and delicious cake and frosting. I would 100% make this again. The cake was also very quick and easy to make so it was perfect for my last minute potluck at work. This recipe makes a huge amount of cake too so it would be great for a birthday party or gathering. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
My mom has made this cake for years. She uses buttermilk instead of sour creme. During the Christmas season she changes the frosting out for mint flavored creme cheese frosting and it excellent. Just let the cake cool and do a rough coating of the creme cheese frosting. Let the cake cool completely amd finish frosting. Add peppermint candy canes that have been crushed as a garnish.
I made this recipe after finding it on his website and it was actually insane I might have eaten over a quarter of it by myself
As an actual Texan, let me tell you that a FAR more delicious way to make this is to spread marshmallow fluff over the hot cake after it comes out of the oven. Then let it cool completely before pouring the frosting over it. It’s the greatest dessert for potlucks, casual parties, or just whenever. My mother made this quite often when I was growing up in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. She even made it for my 50th birthday a few years back, after not having made it for decades. It brought back all sorts of memories!
You had me at chocolate pecan frosting! 😋
That frosting is crazy good!
Story, my sister called me for a recipe for a large cake because she needed it for a orchid club that she was providing refreshments for. It was a large group so I gave her my recipe for Texas Sheet Cake! Easy enough to do and fast! Oh my recipe called for baking it in a large sheet pan, big cake! So since it was a new recipe for her she cut a very small corner of the cake to test it and really liked! She had to do some other errands and left the cake in the custody of my brother in law and nephew! Well when she returned home there were a couple of small squares and many crumb, I think she had to bake it again!
I’m from Texas and grew up eating this cake. We call it ‘30 Minute Chocolate Cake.’ Our version doesn’t use sour cream, but it’s still my favorite!
I made these today, and THANK YOU!…they are just as I remembered my mom making it and as she has passed and no one can find her recipe, your video was such a blessing… my kids LOVED them! Said they tasted just like their grandmas . Now to see if the grandkids like them lol, they like everything grandma makes ! I am SO blessed
I’m a 64 year old native of south Texas and this has been a favorite in our family since I was a little girl. I still make it once in a while for our family gatherings or pot luck dinners. One of the best chocolate cake recipes around!
First time making one of his recipes. I've wanted to try this cake and when his version popped up I thought nows the perfect time to make it myself. Finally made it this weekend. Pretty easy to follow. Delicious. The cake was, and stayed, soft and tender. A must if you love pecans and chocolate together.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. We use buttermilk in the icing instead of regular milk. Only difference is the icing and cake both have buttermilk instead of regular milk.
I could watch you bake all day...something about your pace and voice that is just so soothing and makes me smile. I made your banana chocolate chip muffins today and they are delish! This cake is something I might just make this weekend! Thanks!
This was literally the first thing my mom had me make as a little girl. I've been baking it for over 40 years now, and it's always delicious. I'm from southeast Texas and have never heard anyone refer to it as a "Texas" sheet cake. It was always just "chocolate sheet cake." Oh, and you can totally leave out the sour cream. It's good either way.
Hello Jennifer , Can I ask you a question?
I’m definitely making this for my family! They love anything I’ve made of yours!!!
I remember having this in school lunchroom during elementary school. Lubbock Texas. When lunches were made by your grandma and not centralized processed stuff.
I remember those days too. 😢
John!!!!!! I'm a Spanish girl living in Texas who decided to bake this for my colleague's birthday. It was so simple and it turned out so well!!!! It was delicious!!! They all loved it!! Thank you for making things look easy (they are indeed!), so we dare give them a try!!!!!!!
I'm from west Texas but had never heard of this cake until TH-cam.
Last month, someone from church brought brought this cake. It was absolutely delicious. 😋
She used the pioneer woman's recipe.
I will have to try this one.
His kitchen must smell like heaven!!
18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet
▢
Mixing Bowls
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Electric mixer (optionFor the Cake:
▢1 cup water (240mL)
▢1 cup unsalted butter (226g)
▢¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
▢2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
▢2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
▢1 teaspoon baking soda
▢½ teaspoon salt
▢½ cup sour cream (120g)
▢2 large eggs
▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
▢½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (141g)
▢½ cup whole milk (120mL)
▢¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
▢4 cups powdered sugar (480g)
▢1 cup finely chopped pecans optional (113g)Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 18×13-inch rimmed sheet pan with baking spray.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs. Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. (You can use a wooden spoon too, but the mixture will be stiff so I like to use a hand mixer.)
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting.
For the Frosting:
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, milk, and cocoa.Add the warm butter mixture to the batter and carefully beat together on the lowest speed until well blended and smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and smooth into an even layer.
Native Houstonian, ancestors all Irish-German settlers from the New Braunfels Seguin, TX area, everywhere this cake is made and sold in German bakeries, the pecans added were the only nuts at the time..
In the 1980's in Texas, this cake showed up at every potluck. Whether a workplace lunch or casual gathering, this cake was there. My friends and I simply referred to it as, "That Cake". The recipe I use for it was from a friend of an acquaintance whose name was Carol. Around my house the cake was called Carol's Cake due to the recipe. My sons are now in their mid-thirties, the cake has become known to the public as Texas sheet cake, but when asked to bring it to a family gathering the request is still for Carol's Cake. Thank you Carol, whoever you are.
Ours was called "Marsha's Cake" for my mom's friend who passed it on to us. Used buttermilk instead of sour cream. Lots of birthdays with this cake and homemade vanilla ice cream in the 1970s Kansas.
I was so surprised that you didn’t hit this with a kiss of your vanilla! I’ve had this once several years ago and have been craving it since. Thank you so much for the recipe!
This guy is overly amazing. Oh my GOD !!!! The best cooking chef I’ve ever watch !!!!
one of my co-workers was well known for bringing this in all the time. It is amazing !!!
Yeeeesss, I love Texas sheet cake!!! One of my favorite desserts!!!
So good! Happy baking!
I was born and raised in Texas and loved this cake growing up. It was a staple sold at all high school sports events. I believe the origins of this cake came from the numerous German immigrants that settled in South central and East central Texas in the mid 1800’s. They adapted the recipe to the ingredients that were available to them. Pecan trees are plentiful to that area, thus the chopped pecans topping the cake. I grew up and ran around the Weimar, Schulenburg and Columbus, Texas area. There is also a white sheet cake version, but chocolate is my favorite. The ones I grew up eating were made with buttermilk instead of sour cream.
I’m a Texas girl and grew up eating this luscious dessert. My mom always added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter and she used buttermilk instead of sour cream. We had a cow who gave gallons of milk daily so we always had homemade buttermilk. It wasn’t that vinegar/milk mixture substitute but the real thing. The sour cream and buttermilk are interchangeable.
Anyway, it’s a family favorite. I like to use some strong black coffee in place of the water. It really accentuates the chocolate flavor.
I have to make this. I have been craving something with chocolate. Perfect for Valentine's Day. Thanks
I was given this recipe in the late 70's. It is the only chocolate cake I have made since then. If you love chocolate, you'll love this.
Hi John & Family. Happy New Year, I think my family will love this cake. Thank you
My Mother made this in the 1960’s when we lived in Texas. Thanks for the memory.
I remember my Mom making this to take to picnics. Definitely a good old fashioned cake, almost a very cakey brownie texture. And yes she made it with Baker's chocolate.
I’ve made this cake my whole life. My kids were raised on this cake here in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.
Many of the first Anglo settlers in Texas were of German decent. We still celebrate the culture here. Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, Castroville, and many towns in between are still alive and vibrant and celebrate their heritage with great food and beer festivals (Octoberfest.)
Just a tip: we brown our butter, both for the cake and the frosting. Give it a try. You certainly won’t forget it. 😃
A teaspoon of vanilla and a teaspoon of cinnamon in both the cake batter and the frosting makes it so good.
I grew up in the Dallas area and my mom made this all the time. Haven't had it in years since my mom passed, but I remember it being so decadent!
I think this is my old Brownie Cake recipe (from Texas) that I have made since high school. Just made it the other day. And it makes delicious cupcakes but don't use this
recipe's frosting for those, just a simple buttercream works better. Nice to see it get a wider audience.
I lived in east Texas in the 80s as an adult and never heard or saw this cake. It includes all my favorite food groups so I’ll make it soon.
What a pretty cake 😍 and yes, I’d love a boiled milk frosting recipe!
My family lives in Houston, Texas. My mom use to make something similar to this and she called it Ellie Mae cake. It also had a touch of cinnamon in it. Her friends at my school in the PTA would beg her to make it and bring to them.
Yep. I grew up in East Texas and had this cake all of the time. The texture of the chocolate icing is what makes it special. Of course, we didn't call it "Texas" sheet cake. It was just "sheet cake." Woulda' been redundant.
I'm Texan, and my mother baked it in a 13x9. We called it mud cake.
Also, yes on boiled milk frosting. Tia.
I grew up in Wisconsin and this was in a church cookbook from the 70’s. It was called just “Sheet Cake” but for some reason, we called it Granny Cake. The only differences are buttermilk instead of sour cream and unsweetened chocolate instead of cocoa. I love this cake!
As a kid, a fishing trip with dad to Guaymas, Mexico always included a tray of Texas sheet cake. My mom's version included cinnamon and I was never really a fan. As I've gotten older I realized I love cinnamon rolls, but I don't like cinnamon in most other foods. Weird, I know and I'm not a big fan of nutmeg either. So thank you for this non-Cinnamon version, I really appreciate it! It really looks amazing and I'll probably make it tomorrow.
I grew up in the Dallas area and Texas Sheet Cake was (and still is) a family favorite. However, our recipe doesn’t have sour cream and we add cinnamon and buttermilk. Texas is a pretty big state, perhaps your recipe came from a different region of Texas! 😉😂🤣 Regardless, I’m confident they are both equally delicious! 😋
Seems everyone grew up on this cake but me! My mom had me make box cakes, I didn't get this sheet cake til my sister-in-law made it all the time. Then I taught myself way before internet days, mine uses buttermilk but I'll try sour cream next time. Thanks, PK and yes to boiled milk frosting.
I have made this recipe for years. It is delicious. The only difference in mine, is that I use a cup of black coffee in place of the water when making the cake batter.
I should never make this delicious cake because I can eat the whole thing myself! I cut a generous piece of cake, pour a large glass of milk and start eating, sadly my piece of cake runs out before my milk, so I’m forced to get more cake, then moments later my milk
glass is empty, so I’m forced to get more milk……I think you can see where this is going! Seriously one of the best cakes I’ve ever had in my life. A dear cousin from Odessa, Tx gave me the recipe in the early 70’s. After I got back home to Cali after visiting relatives in Tx I think we made this cake at least once a week for ages and ages!
This was a staple in my house for any birthday or special occasion when I was growing up. You will get a fluffier cake if you use a hand mixer. You want lots of bubbles in your batter so that when you add the frosting, it will sink down into your cake. It's always better the second day, too.
I like the way your stove and pots look like they’ve been around awhile. The toning on the pots looks legit.
This was my mother's favorite recipe for large gatherings. It is nearly fool proof. Love this cake, and thank you for this recipe!!!
Well someone in the family calls it “Death Cake.” Over the years, it became a realization that it was often shared/given when a death occurred. On the lighter side, it’s always enjoyed on any occasion.
This cake convinced me that moving to Texas was a good idea. I think it was named after the sheet pan, and everybody's mother/aunt/sister/wife considers their cherished family recipe the best ever. It's the bedrock of the dessert table at every church social and reunion. Pecans are NOT optional, and I have five century-old pecan trees, so I'm not talking out of my hat. Toasting them is vital. Charm a Yankee by making them this cake. You'll have a friend for life.
Texas sheet cake is a treasured family staple my great grandma used to make. Now that I’m a grandma,I’m carrying on the tradition as is my daughter.
Ok so the story you told, is what id heard also with one addition; the recipe was created for the school cafeterias which is why it's a sheet cake. Quick to make, no cooling needed. I also have the school cafeteria vanilla sheet cake recipe! Just as easy to put together and bake. WHY DID they stop making REAL food for schools? Love ya baby ❤️
This reminds me of Mississippi mud cake but without marshmallows. My mom used to make it for me when I was younger. Would love to see your take on it, John!
I love texas sheet cake. The frosting is so heavenly! 🙃
Hello Michelle, How are you doing today?
Try this in a Bundt cake pan. The center will be very moist ! Heat the frosting with the sugar to just boiling and the frosting is like fudge ❤
Nothing like it in the world…💕
I love a good Texas sheet cake, but I like my cake much thicker. In fact, I have made it in layers with the chocolate between the layers and on top. Totally awesome for we chocolate lovers
I used to make this in the 90s when my kids were little, brings back such sweet memories.Im going to start making it again..thank you!
Looks like yet another winner🎉
Hey, thank you! hope you enjoy!
As a French I didn't know this gem. It really looks delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe and for the grams!
I’m from Texas and have made this delicious cake for years! Please give this a try y’all will love it
This cake is the sheet!
It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even watch the videos until I’m trying to make it myself and just immediately print out the recipe once I see a new video from him❤
This was my favorite cake when I was a kid growing up in the Chicago suburbs. My mom’s recipe was soooo decadently rich.
My mom made this and I have been making it for fifty years. Never a crumb left where ever I take it. I don’t use sour cream but do add cinnamon with the dry ingredients. Mom called it Texas sheet cake but I found the recipe in an old cookbook and it was called cookie sheet cake.
I've never seen this cake before. It looks so good! Like a candy bar cake!
I am from NYS and my mother started making this cake in the early 1960’s - the original recipe from that time put the baking soda into 1/2 cup of sour cream which expands it- this is blended in last- sometimes I use plain or vanilla yogurt instead of sour cream- Everyone in my family still makes this recipe as do many other people I know- perhaps it’s called Texas sheet cake because it’s a large cake- also there are other differences in the original such as it called for margarine - although we long ago switched to butter tried to track down where this recipe came from - but the woman who passed it around is long gone - it’s still my family’s favorite chocolate cake- I don’t put nuts in the icing though - sometimes I sprinkle some finely ground on- it wasn’t called for in the original however
Such an amazing cake. I sometimes add a scoop of peanut butter to the hot frosting and leave out the nuts. Delicious!
I love Texas sheet cake. Have a slightly different recipe. But still the same texture.
Yes I would like a recipe fir boiled frosting. Thank you.
Heck yes so ready to try this one too!!
Hope you like it! This cake is sooooo good!