Well, summer may not officially be here, but ask anyone in the south, summer is most definitely here. From the hot temperatures, swarming mosquitos, ice cream trucks, and endless supplies of fresh watermelon and cherries, the summer season is upon us.
Normally I’m a little nervous about the high heat and fact that 3 am is the only pleasant time to be outside, but this year, I’m thankful for all that summer brings. Wherever you live, we are all emerging from our homes nervously eager to be outside. This summer will be a little more special this year, and we are getting the unique opportunity to experience all the joys of this season with new eyes and a deeper appreciation for the simple things; the things we so easily took for granted last year and likely many of the years before. So whatever the temperatures, I’m thankful for life, health, and the chance to celebrate. But I do have one request: can we please hold the mosquitos and murder hornets this year?
One of my favorite desserts just happens to be the perfect treat to bring to an outdoor BBQ or enjoy at home with your family. And it’s a pretty classic southern favorite: Texas Sheet Cake. The sound of it just makes my mouth drool in anticipation!
This was derived from my mom’s famous recipe. It’s sweet enough to satiate your sweet tooth but not too sweet to overwhelm your tastebuds. You can add nuts or keep it simple sans the crunch on top.
But this does come with a warning: it’s pretty addictive. Our Texas Sheet Cakes have been known to have a fork permanently placed in the sheet pan for easy access nibbling. One quick bite turns into another turns into another. This cake is good. Very good. And worth every bite! And as you can see, my little ones love this cake and clearly tried to get to it before mom saw. Share this or keep it for your family, but it’ll be a hit and a staple recipe you’re going to want to keep around.
Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 4 T unsweetened cocoa powder heaping
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 4 T unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup milk
- dash of salt
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Into a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring butter, cocoa, and water to a boil. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Now add in the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda and mix until smooth.
- Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. I like putting a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom and grease the sides. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 16-20 minutes. Start watching closely at 16 minutes and remove when the cake is no longer jiggly but not over-cooked. You don't want a dry cake. Let cool 2 minutes before frosting.
Frosting
- Before removing the cake from the oven, prep the frosting ingredients. You want to frost the cake before it cools, right at the 2 minute mark out of the oven.
- In a medium saucepan, bring butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil and remove from heat. Add in the last 3 ingredients and stir until smooth and shiny. Poke the cake with a fork a few times and pour the warm frosting over the cake. Add the chopped nuts on top now, if desired.
- Enjoy, y'all!
