Chocolate Sheet Cake is a dessert my husband’s grandma used to bring to family gatherings. Everyone always loved it. I hope you will too.
Everyone loved Grandma’s Chocolate Sheet Cake
What was not to love? Moist cake that had a touch of cinnamon spice stirred in. Rich dark chocolate topped with a creamy chocolate icing that would melt in your mouth. And pecans. Probably picked from Grandma’s nearest pecan tree. Grandma Vogts’ love all bound up into a simple cake topped with tinfoil. That sounds pretty perfect to me.
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Some folks may recognize this cake as a Texas Sheet Cake. Sheet cakes are made in a large baking sheet, unlike a regular cake made in an oblong pan, or round pans for layers cakes. Apparently, it gets the name because it was first found in a Texas newspaper…or because it’s quite large, like the state of Texas. Who really knows, though?
Instructions for this Cake
Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
In a small saucepan, heat shortening and butter, just until it melts. With a wire whisk stir in cocoa, then add water. Bring this to a rapid boil. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Pour the chocolate mixture over this. Add buttermilk, large eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Pour batter into a greased 10×15″ sheet pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.
Prepare the Icing
This is my favorite part! To prepare the icing, melt butter in a medium saucepan with cocoa, and milk. Whisk together and bring to a boil. Stir in vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar and chopped pecans. Mix well.
Spread the chocolate pecan icing over the warm cake.
Serve with vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream. This cake will serve 18-20 people. Store covered with aluminum foil for up to 5 days.
Some might call this Chocolate Sheet Cake a Texas Sheet Cake. And they would probably be correct. But this recipe came straight from Kansas, from one of my grandma’s many community/church cookbooks.
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Chocolate Sheet Cake
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Icing
- 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup pecans (coarsely chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Chop the pecans into small pieces.
Make the Cake Batter
- In a small saucepan, melt the vegetable shortening and butter. Whisk in baking cocoa, then add water. Bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
- Stir in chocolate mixture. Add buttermilk, large eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Pour into a greased 10×15" jellyroll pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.
Prepare Icing
- To prepare icing, melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir in baking cocoa, and whole milk. Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar and chopped pecans. Mix well.
- Spread over warm cake. Serve with ice-cream. Serves 18-20.
So excited to see the sheet cake recipe as it brings back happy memories of my great aunt's in Texas. One, then two pieces of this cake was just not enough, so she made a second one! So yummy!
Hope you'll give it a try and like it as much as your aunt's. Yummy with ice cream!