Colin’s Chocolate-Frosted Texas Sheet Cake
Yield
- 10” x 15” sheet cake.
- 9” x 13” sheet cake in 2” pan: 25-27 minutes.
- 9” x 13” sheet cake in 3” pan: 28-30 minutes.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (230 g) butter
- 1 cup (240 mL) hot coffee (or hot water)
- 6 tbsp (40 g) cocoa, unprocessed (natural)
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 2 cups (240 g) flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) buttermilk (or sour cream, or acidified milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup (230 g) butter
- 10 tbsp (65 g) cocoa, Dutch-processed (or natural)
- 6 cups (720 g) confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) milk (or hot coffee)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans, chopped, toasted (optional)
Steps
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch pan.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Melt the butter on low in a saucepan. Stir in the cocoa and mix until smooth. Add hot coffee. Bring mixture to a boil then remove from heat. Stir cocoa mixture into the dry mixture, mixing just until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Fold gently into cocoa/flour mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and start making the frosting.
Frosting
- Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring often. Add cocoa and stir until smooth and bubbling, then turn off heat. Add confectioner’s sugar, milk (or coffee), and vanilla. Stir until smooth (it’s okay if there are tiny lumps).
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle the toasted pecans all over the top and gently press into the icing. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.
Variation: Mississippi Mud Pie
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, scatter 4 cups mini marshmallows evenly over the top. Return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, just until the marshmallows puff and soften. Cool briefly on a wire rack while making the frosting.
- Make frosting as directed above. While the frosting is still warm and the marshmallows are soft, pour or spoon the frosting evenly over the top of the warm cake. Gently spread as needed to cover, but don’t press or swirl. Try to keep the marshmallow layer intact.
- Optionally, sprinkle toasted pecans all over the top and gently press into the icing.
- Cool completely in the pan on a rack.
Make-Ahead Notes
The cake keeps, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and in the freezer for up to 3 months. If needed, bring to room temperature before serving.