This chocolate buttermilk texas sheet cake is a moist, fudgy chocolate cake topped with a sweet chocolate frosting. It's a simple single layer cake that you bake in a sheet pan, so it's perfect for feeding a crowd.
Chocolate Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake is a staple cake I make a few times a year whenever I am hosting or having a gathering. Everyone always loves chocolate, and I love that it's easy to make and I can prep it ahead. My favorite way to eat it is at Christmas time with a scoop of peppermint ice cream, and my son requests it almost every year for his birthday with fresh strawberries.
For more chocolate cake recipes, try my single layer chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, my small chocolate cake, or my black chocolate cake.
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Why You Will Love This Cake
- Sheet Cake: I love a simple sheet cake that is easy to make and cut for serving a crowd.
- Moist: This cake is so moist from the buttermilk, it melts in your mouth.
- Easy: This cake is an easy one to make and doesn't require a mixer.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: I like to use salted butter, but unsalted is great too.
- Cocoa Powder: I have used both unsweetened and dutch process cocoa powder for this cake and it turns out great either way.
- Eggs: Make sure your eggs are room temperature before mixing into the batter.
- Buttermilk: I always try and use a full fat buttermilk if I can find it because it will help the cake be more moist.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Add butter, water and cocoa powder to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Step 2: In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. As soon as butter/cocoa mixture comes to a boil remove from heat and pour over the dry ingredients. Whisk together until all combined.
- Step 3: In a measuring cup or small bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into cake batter.
- Step 4: Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until edges are pulling away. When there is about 7-10 minutes left before the cake is done baking, start the chocolate frosting.
- Step 5: Add butter, cocoa powder and milk to the same small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour into a medium mixing bowl with vanilla, pinch of salt and powdered sugar. I like to mix with electric beaters on low to make sure it's smooth.
- Step 6: Pour frosting over cake after it's cooled for 3-5 minutes, and use a spatula to spread evenly over the cake. The cake needs to be warm enough that the frosting can spread easily over the cake.
Expert Baking Tips
- Cutting your cake with a plastic knife will help ensure clean lines, and no crumbs.
- I love serving this cake with fresh berries or a scoop of ice cream.
- Cakes will have the best results if made with room temperature ingredients. I like to pull my eggs, buttermilk and butter out of the fridge an hour or two before I start baking.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes, you can half this recipe (click .5 version) and bake it in a 9x13 pan.
Yes, just add 2 teaspoons of vinegar to your ½ cup of milk and allow it to sit a few minutes to curdle.
Yes! This cake is excellent subbing in a gluten free 1:1 flour.
Storing & Freezing
This chocolate buttermilk texas sheet cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days while remaining fresh. You can also store it in the fridge if you prefer to serve it cold.
This cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Cut into slices and store in a tupperware. When ready to serve, thaw and allow to come to room temperature again.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
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Chocolate Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
- 1 cup (227 g) water
- ¼ cup (21.5 g) cocoa powder
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- ½ cup (113.5 g) salted butter
- 6 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup (21.5 g) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a cookie sheet pan (13×18''). Set aside.
- Add butter, water and cocoa powder to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. As soon as butter/cocoa mixture comes to a boil remove from heat and pour over the dry ingredients. Whisk together until all combined.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix into the cake batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until edges are pulling away. When there is about 7-10 minutes left before the cake is done baking, start the chocolate frosting.
- Add butter, cocoa powder and milk to the same small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour into a medium mixing bowl with vanilla, pinch of salt and powdered sugar. I like to mix with electric beaters on low to make sure it's smooth.
- Pour frosting over cake after it's cooled for 3-5 minutes, and use a spatula to spread evenly over the cake. The cake needs to be warm enough that the frosting can spread easily over the cake.
Sandy
This cake is easy and so so good. Moist, chocolatey and perfect for a crowd or family gathering! This will be a staple!
Yaya
Thanks for sharing this easy, delicious recipe. I enhance the flavor by diluting 1 teaspoonful of espresso I stant coffee into the boiling water/cocoa/butter mixture.
Brooke Homec
Thank you! And love that you added the coffee.. YUM!
Janee
Easy to make and tastes fantastic!! Also great for a crowd!
Amanda
Made this last night for a family dinner, it was fabulous. People went back for seconds!
Tori
This recipe was SO yummy and so little work/dishes. The cake is chocolatey and moist. The glaze is perfect without being overkill. Overall very balanced. Well done Salted Sweets! Thanks for sharing. I discovered it a couple weeks ago and have already made it for two events! It’s been a hit both times.
Cheryl
This recipe is amazing! I made them into cupcakes and for rave reviews! Thank you!
Trisha
Great recipe! Everyone loved it! Can I freeze any leftovers??
Laura
What adjustments should be made, if any, when baking this in high altitude?
Brooke Homec
I think you should be fine as is. You could add an extra couple tablespoons of flour to the cake batter if you wanted, but that would be the only adjustment I would make.
Baker
My go to Texas sheet cake recipe after making it twice, this is my third time (in less than a month lol). Definitely a new favorite.
Joe Ann Kingdon
I’m Texan and been making this cake for the last 55 years. We almost always add toasted chopped pecans to the icing and 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the cake batter. Otherwise exactly as you posted. Thanks for a great recipe❤️
Julia
Hi! I’m very excited to try this recipe, but I do have some questions beforehand. My 1st question is when making this recipe in the 13x18 pan, how tall are the edges of your cookie pan? And when making this recipe as .5 in a 9x13 pan does it affect the bake time?
Brooke Homec
I just bake it on my standard cookie sheet, so I assume the edge is about 2 inches. And if you do a half recipe in the 9x13 I would decrease the time b y about 1-2 minutes.
Meridirh
Could I used the buttermilk for the frosting as well? 🙏🙃
Brooke Homec
yes!
Jilly
How far in advance could I make.this cake? Would 2 days be too long?
Thank you & Merry Christmas!
Brooke Homec
Ideally 1 day, but 2 will be fine. If you have space I would cover and freeze it, if not, cover and put in the fridge until the day you're serving it.
Jenny Stuart
This cake was AMAZING!! I appreciate your easy-to-follow instructions. The cake was moist, rich, and a huge hit! This will become my new go-to dessert!