Texas Sheet Cake with Buttermilk is a rich and incredibly moist chocolate cake topped with gooey fudge frosting. It's quick to make and perfect for serving a crowd!
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a half-sheet pan (12"x18") with nonstick baking spray.
Combine the butter, cocoa powder, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
1 cup butter, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 cup water
Mix the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.
Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla into the chocolate mixture.
1 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour the batter into your prepared pan, then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
When there are about 5 minutes left of the cake's bake time, begin preparing the icing by mixing the buttermilk, butter, and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
6 tablespoons buttermilk, ½ cup butter, ¼ cup cocoa
Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar. Whisk by hand or use an electric hand mixer to beat it until smooth.
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Stir in the vanilla extract.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Once the cake is done, allow it to cool for 5 minutes, then pour the icing over the cake, spreading it evenly across the surface.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes for the icing to set, then serve.
Notes
Bake Times for Other Sized Pans: 9x13 Pan 30-35 Minutes10x15 Pan 25-30 MinutesStorage: Once the icing has completely set (it should be dry to the touch) cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days.Popular Add-Ins:
1 teaspoon cinnamon - Stir in with dry ingredients.
1 teaspoon espresso powder - Stir in with dry ingredients.
1 cup chopped pecans - Stir into the frosting before pouring over the cake, or sprinkle on top of the frosted cake.
Tips:
If you whisk the powdered sugar into the frosting by hand then it is best to sift the powdered sugar first, so that you do not have lumps.