Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

It’s hard to find anything better than a great chocolate cake. A soft tender crumb with deep, rich chocolate notes and touched with a wisp of cinnamon. Topped with a thin, delicate coating of chocolate icing, it’s one of the simplest cakes to make and truly one of the best you’ll ever taste!

Food has an amazing way of stimulating memories. This chocolate cake is a favorite in our family and has been for generations. My Dad was born and raised on the Powell family ranch, reared by his parents, his Aunt Mary and Uncle Claude and his great grandparents, Maude Olive and MT. When he was a little boy his Grandfather pose the question to him, “Don’t you think we need a chocolate cake?” And what little boy wouldn’t want a chocolate cake! So off he would go to find his Grandmother. She would always drop whatever she was doing and bake her grandson a cake.

If you grew up in the South, chances are your Mom or Grandmother made this same cake. It’s light and fluffy, just sweet enough and that touch of cinnamon deepens those chocolate tones. All that’s needed to assemble is a whisk or a wooden spoon.

Buttermilk added to the batter makes the cake super moist and gives it that tender bite, whisked into flour and sugar followed by baking soda for a gentle lift, eggs for richness. Along with the cinnamon, a good dose of pure vanilla extract boosts those beautiful flavors.

Older versions of this recipe refer to this cake as a Chocolate Sheet Cake or Chocolate Sheath Cake, as the directions call for the cake to be baked in a large, shallow half-sheet pan. More commonly you now find it baked in a large baking pan (13″ x 9″ x 2″) but either will work. My Grandmother added 1 cup of chopped pecans to the icing. And if it was a special occasion, she would top the cake with pecan halves and maraschino cherries! This is not the most gorgeous cake, but it is one of the most delicious chocolate cakes you’ll ever eat!

This is the first cake I learned to make, and the first one I taught Emily to make. It’s a simple recipe making it a quick, last-minute dessert to pull together for family or friends.

Chocolate Cinnamon Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening

1 cup water

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup buttermilk

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour and sugar together.

Combine the butter, shortening, water, and the cocoa powder in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter and shortening have melted. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Add the chocolate mixture to the flour and sugar, whisking until smooth.

Pour in the buttermilk along with the eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, and cinnamon, whisking until the mixture is blended and smooth.

Pour the batter into a 13” x 9” baking pan that has been lightly greased or sprayed with a cooking spray.

Bake at 400-degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake tests done.

While cake bakes, make the icing:

¼ cup butter

4 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted*

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the milk and the cocoa powder, over medium heat until the butter has melted.

Remove from the heat and add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, whisking into the chocolate mixture.

Add the vanilla extract, whisking until the icing is smooth.

Pour over warm cake, spread to cover evenly. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

Serves 8 to 10.

*Always sift powdered sugar before adding it to your base for the icing or frosting. This removes any lumps giving you a smooth, finished product.