Description
This Texas sheet cake recipe features a moist chocolate cake base topped with a glossy fudge icing and festive rainbow sprinkles. It is a simple yet indulgent dessert perfect for quick weeknight treats or family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for cake)
- 0.5 cup buttermilk (or 0.5 cup milk with 0.5 tsp lemon juice, rested 5 min)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (for cake)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (for cake)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 0.25 cup milk (for icing)
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter (for icing)
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (for icing)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (for icing)
- 0.25 cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×13 or 10×15 inch sheet pan. Melt 1 cup butter, 1 cup water, and 0.5 cup cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, bringing to a gentle boil for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, and 0.5 tsp salt. Pour the hot cocoa mixture over dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in 0.5 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. Pour batter into the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake the Cake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
- Craft Fudge Icing: While the cake bakes, melt 0.5 cup butter, 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, and 0.25 cup milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in 4 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until completely smooth and glossy.
- Frost While Warm: Immediately pour the warm glossy fudge icing over the hot cake still in its pan, spreading quickly and evenly to the edges with an offset spatula. Generously scatter 0.25 cup rainbow sprinkles over the warm icing before it sets.
Notes
Line the sheet pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup. Prepare the fudge icing as soon as the cake goes into the oven to ensure it is warm when the cake is ready for frosting. For enhanced chocolate flavor, add about 0.5 tsp instant coffee powder to either the cake batter or the icing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380 calories
- Sugar: 50 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg