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If you’re looking for a big dessert to take to a picnic or potluck, this Chocolate Sheet Cake (or Texas Sheet Cake) with easy chocolate frosting is just what you need. You may also love our chocolate cupcakes.

A close up of a piece of chocolate cake

Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

We’re in full picnic, reunion and potluck season! If you need a dessert to take along and feed a crowd, this chocolate sheet cake recipe is what you need. Sometimes called Texas Sheet Cake, you’ll find that making homemade chocolate cake is easier than you think.

From Scratch Chocolate Cake

To make this cake, you’ll first boil together the butter, water and cocoa powder. Set it aside to cool while you whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the warm chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, then add the eggs, sour cream and baking soda. If you’d like, you could replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt. It works great in this recipe and cuts down on the fat content a little.

It’s important to use an 11×17″ sheet cake pan for this recipe. You don’t want it to overflow!

Easy Chocolate Frosting

One thing I love about this frosting is that it is spread on the cake while it is warm. That step is what gives the frosting a deliciously “melty” feel. It soaks into the top of the cake just a little bit and makes the cake so, so good!

Store this cake in an airtight container. You can keep it at room temperature. If you have a lot of leftovers, it will freeze well!

Other Chocolate Cake Recipes

TOOLS TO MAKE THIS CAKE

Cocoa Powder: We love this raw cacao powder for baking. A guilt-free superfood.
Cake Spatula: To get that frosting nice and smooth.
Ninja Express Chop: Mini food processor…this is one of my most-used kitchen tools! For processing walnuts.
Hand mixer: I don’t pull out my stand mixer for this recipe. A hand mixer works perfectly.
11×17” Cookie Sheet: Perfect for sheet cakes!

Chocolate Sheet Cake

5 from 2 votes

If you're looking for a big dessert to take to a picnic or potluck, this Chocolate Sheet Cake (or Texas Sheet Cake) with easy chocolate frosting is just what you need.

Servings 20

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

For the Cake:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup hot water
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
6 tablespoons milk
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (for topping)

Instructions

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 17x11" cookie sheet pan.
In a saucepan, mix the butter, water and cocoa powder. Bring to a low boil.
Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, flour and salt.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the chocolate and mix well.
Add the eggs and mix well.
Add the sour cream and baking soda. Mix well.
Pour into the greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

For the Frosting:

*Plan to make the frosting about 15 minutes before the cake is done. The cake should be frosted while it is warm.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
Add the cocoa powder and milk. Heat just until the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat.
Using a hand mixer, gradually beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until completely blended.
Spread the frosting on the cake as soon as it is out of the oven.
Allow the cake to cool completely.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 20 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of frosted cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 401

Keyword birthday, cake, chocolate, picnic, potluck