Texas Sheet Cake

Don’t be mistaken—Texas sheet cake isn’t just any old chocolate cake! This recipe is rich, chocolatey, and it makes enough to feed a crowd. It’s also stealthily vegan!

What Is Texas Sheet Cake?

Texas sheet cake is an old-fashioned Southern dessert known for its rich, chocolate flavour, along with its unique form and preparation. Rather than using a cake pan, Texas sheet cake is baked in a sheet pan, which makes it thin—which means you get a higher icing-to-cake ratio. (Score!)

The icing is also poured over the cake while it’s still warm, ensuring that the cake is supremely moist and extra delicious. It’s no wonder this cake is a staple at gatherings across the South!

Why You’ll Love This Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

• Vegan. With a few simple swaps, we transform the classic Texas sheet cake recipe to make it vegan—without changing the taste and texture you love.
• Easy to make. Texas Sheet Cake is a simple recipe that calls for everyday ingredients most vegan bakers probably have on hand.
• Feeds a Crowd. This cake is meant for sharing. (As they say, everything’s bigger in Texas!) It’s great for potlucks, vegan cookouts, and family gatherings.
• Rich chocolate flavour. This recipe is a favourite for chocolate lovers. The combination of cocoa powder and vegan butter creates a decadent cake with an irresistible fudgy texture.

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Soy milk – Make sure you use unflavoured and unsweetened.
• Apple cider vinegar – This helps give the cake some lift and also enhances the flavour.
• All-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch processed. 
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt – Just a bit, for balance. If you use table salt, use a touch less to account for the smaller crystal size.
• Vegan butter – Melt the butter before starting the recipe.
• Vanilla extract – Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
• Hot water 

For the Frosting:

• Vegan butter
• Cocoa powder – If there are large lumps in your cocoa powder, sift it first for a smooth frosting.
• Soy milk
• Vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar.
• Pecans – You’ll need to chop the nuts, so buy less expensive pecan pieces rather than pecan halves.

How to Make Texas Sheet Cake

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and coat a half sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the vegan buttermilk. Stir together the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup. Set it aside to thicken.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. 
• Add the wet ingredients. Whisk the melted butter, vanilla, and buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Pour in the hot water and stir again.

• Bake. Spread the cake into the pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Make the frosting. Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder, soy milk, and vanilla, then remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar and chopped pecans.
• Frost the cake. Spread the hot frosting over the warm cake in an even layer. Allow the cake and frosting to cool completely, then slice.

Tips for Success

• Measure the flour properly. It’s always best to measure by weight when you’re baking, but if you don’t have a scale, lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
• Use room temperature ingredients. When baking, it’s important to have all of your ingredients at room temperature (or warmer, when directed), as this will ensure they blend together smoothly.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients—overmixing can result in a tougher cake.
• Let the cake cool completely. This will allow the frosting to set and create a smooth, fudgy layer on top of the cake.

Variations

• Leave out the nuts.  If you or someone in your family has a nut allergy (or if you just don’t like nuts!), omit the pecans from the frosting.
• Add a twist. While this recipe features a classic chocolate flavour, feel free to experiment with different flavours. Peppermint extract would be delicious for the holidays, for example. 
• Make it gluten-free. Substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the regular flour in this recipe.
• Top it with sprinkles. Add some colour to your Texas sheet cake by adding sprinkles on top of the frosting before it sets.

How to Store

Store your Texas sheet cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can refrigerate it for longer storage, but note that it will dry out a bit when stored in the fridge.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

Texas sheet cake freezes beautifully, making it fantastic for ensuring you always have a dessert on hand for unexpected guests! You can wrap individual slices and freeze them separately, or freeze the entire cake; either way, just make sure the cake has cooled and the frosting is set.

Freeze the cake for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, remove the cake from the freezer and allow it to thaw at room temperature for a few hours. 

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

• Vegan Banana Pudding
• Chocolate Chess Pie
• Chocolate Delight
• Peach Cobbler
• Vegan Sweet Potato Pie