Easy one bowl Chocolate Buttermilk Sheet Cake recipe. Fudgy buttermilk frosting on top! Perfect for a crowd, or freeze for later.
Love sheet cakes? Our Peanut Butter Sheet Cake is rich and moist, and topped with an incredible peanut butter frosting! Try our flavorful pistachio sheet cake for a delicious twist on a favorite flavor!
Why this Recipe is Best
Growing up I remember our neighbor, who was an older woman, bringing us a Texas Sheet Cake periodically. I think it was because we helped mow her lawn while she was out of town, but honestly the WHY isn’t important. That WHAT is…
I loved the fudgy texture of that sheet cake with it’s soft, decadent melted icing on top!
I wanted to create a similar treat, my biggest struggle was trying to find the right pan size for the job. My first attempt was using this recipe…no pan size listed (well, it did say jelly roll) and temperature says 350-375. Needless to say it overflowed into my oven in a giant mess.
One would think I would have given up…but no way. I used my half sheet pan from making these Almond Bars and went back to work. SUCCESS.
The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever.
My only dilemma (if you can even call it that) is being left with SO MANY PIECES OF CAKE. No worries though, this cake freezes VERY WELL…
How to make buttermilk sheet cake
The key to this sheet cake is the buttermilk. Don’t you dare even think about skipping it! It’s in the frosting too, so you get a double dose of deliciousness.
All you need is one bowl to mix the dry ingredients together. Add in the eggs, oil, buttermilk and hot water. Combine really well then pour into your sheet pan. I used this one.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes, until edges separate from pan and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool.
While cake is cooling, prepare frosting. Pour over cake (it’s okay if cake is still warm!). Add sprinkles if desired.
Cool cake completely and let frosting set (about an hour). Slice and enjoy.
If freezing, place cake slices in airtight container in layers separated by wax paper. Freeze until ready to use. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
Texas sheet cakes are typically made in large rectangular pans for a crowd, sometimes called jelly roll pans. This recipes uses pans sized approximately 18×13-inches. The cake is made in one bowl and is a single layer cake with a fudgy icing. Here’s the pan on Amazon that I used.
Cakes that have an icing made with butter, cream cheese, or whipped cream technically SHOULD be refrigerated. I personally leave mine out on the counter in an airtight container, so do what makes you feel comfortable!
YES you can freeze sheet cakes! Once the icing has hardened and set, and the cake is completely cooled, slice into portions. Using an airtight container, place pieces of cake in layers separated by wax paper. Freeze. When ready to enjoy, remove from freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature.
If you don’t have any buttermilk, you learn how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice. Add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice to a measuring cup and add enough milk to reach 1 cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes.
More Cake Recipes
- Easy and delicious, these chewy Cinnamon Frosted Zucchini Cake Bars are the perfect sweet dessert any time of year! Serve chilled for extra flavor!
- Turn your favorite Gooey Butter Cake into a Lemon dessert! Gooey Lemon Cake Bars will make you quite happy, and nobody has to know you started with a mix!
- Starting with a cake mix, these Gooey Chocolate cake bars are filled with cream cheese, cocoa and topped with a delicious, creamy Chocolate Frosting.
- These Apple Cake Bars from Texanerin Baking are super moist and full of cinnamon apple goodness!
- Super moist Blueberry Cake Bars are made with fresh blueberries and are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
More Cake Recipes
- German Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry Almond Cake
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Coconut Cake
- Coca Cola Cake
- Cream Puff Cake
- Vanilla Sheet Cake
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Chocolate Buttermilk Sheet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use Ghirardelli
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot water
For the icing:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup sprinkles optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Spray half sheet pan (size approximately 18×13-inches, I use this one from Amazon) with baking spray. Set aside.
- For the cake, in a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until blended.
- Add in the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and hot water. Whisk together until fully combined. Pour into prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until edges pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
- While cake is cooling, prepare chocolate icing. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, buttermilk, and cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat as soon as it boils.
- Pour chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl and add in the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Pour over cake (it’s okay if the cake isn’t completely cooled). Add sprinkles.
- Cool completely and enjoy!
Notes
- To freeze, once the icing has hardened and set, and the cake is completely cooled, slice into portions. Using an airtight container, place pieces of cake in layers separated by wax paper. Freeze. When ready to enjoy, remove from freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature.
If I made this recipe into cupcakes, is the frosting thick enough to be piped on top? 🧁
No, this recipe wouldn’t work for piping.
Hi, love your recipes, can this cake be made in a 9×13 pan. If so how long should it bake
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This recipe is phenomenal! It was so moist and fluffy. My tastebuds rejoiced!
So glad you loved it!
I made this cake last week, but doubled the ingredients for the cake and baked it in a 12×18 pan. After 25 minutes, I stirred the batter in the pan and put it bake in the oven for 10-15 more minutes. I didn’t double the icing though and poured it over the cake….delicious! I wish I had some vanilla ice cream to go with it, so I ran out to the grocery store the next day to get some. Thanks for the recipe.
I put the cake back in the oven for 10-15 minutes to cook when I doubled the recipe.
I just made your Red Velvet cookies and they are so delicious. I posted a picture on Facebook. I do not do instagram. Aimee, the cookies were the first of your recipes that I made. I love that you are so methodical in every step and easy to follow. It was so much fun making these cookies and seeing that they would turn out exactly as you posted. Now, to the Texas Sheet Cake. I will make that as soon as the cookies are gone. I know that will be delicious as well.
I’m so glad you loved the cookies!! Enjoy the cake too!
Just curious. Can a Texas Sheet Cake be baked in a 9×13 pan?