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Kitchn has published a Texas sheet cake recipe by assistant food editor Nicole Rufus. It makes 12 servings in an 18-by-13-inch pan, with a chocolate cake baked for 17 to 20 minutes and topped with warm stovetop frosting and pecans.
Kitchn has published a Texas sheet cake recipe by assistant food editor Nicole Rufus, outlining a one-pan chocolate cake finished with warm, pourable cocoa frosting and pecans. The recipe serves 12 and takes 30 minutes to prepare, followed by 17 to 20 minutes of baking, offering home cooks a straightforward format for a shareable dessert.
The recipe uses an 18-by-13-inch half sheet pan greased with butter and an oven heated to 350°F. The cake batter combines all-purpose flour, granulated and light brown sugars, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla with a mixture of melted butter, Dutch-process cocoa and boiling water. Rufus’s instructions call for whisking the batter together rather than creaming butter and sugar in a mixer.
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, generally after 17 to 20 minutes. The frosting is made on the stovetop from butter, cocoa, milk, vanilla and powdered sugar. After the cake cools for 10 minutes, the recipe directs cooks to pour the still-warm frosting over it, spread it evenly and add chopped pecans. It says to let the frosting set for 30 minutes before cutting the cake into 12 pieces.
The ingredients include wheat, eggs and milk; pecans are a tree nut. Anyone cooking for people with allergies should check ingredient labels and avoid cross-contact. Kitchn recommends storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The source does not provide nutrition information or a tested substitution list.
A One-Pan Cake for Sharing
The recipe’s appeal lies in its simple assembly and its format: the cake is baked and served from one sheet pan, without stacking layers or using a mixer. That makes the instructions relevant to readers looking for a dessert to portion for a gathering, rather than a multi-stage celebration cake.
Rufus writes that the loose frosting is part of the cake’s character and makes it practical for potlucks and cookouts. That is the author’s assessment, not a tested claim about how the cake performs in every condition. The recipe’s specific timing and pan dimensions give readers a clearer basis for planning than a general description of the dessert would.
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How This Cake Differs
Kitchn describes Texas sheet cake as related to German chocolate cake, while distinguishing the two by preparation and assembly. In Rufus’s comparison, German chocolate cake is layered and has a coconut filling, while this sheet cake is baked and served in its pan, with a looser chocolate frosting poured over the warm cake.
The article also contrasts the methods: its Texas sheet cake batter is whisked together, while the German chocolate cake method described by Kitchn involves creaming butter and sugar in a mixer. Rufus draws on childhood memories of eating the cake in Dallas, including at school bake sales and birthday parties. Those recollections supply personal context for the recipe, rather than independent evidence about the dessert’s history.
““It’s easy to make, doesn’t require any special equipment, and is the definition of chocolatey, ooey-gooey goodness.””
— Nicole Rufus, Kitchn assistant food editor
Recipe Details Not Supplied
The source provides a recipe and the author’s recommendations, but no independent taste test, reader response data or nutritional breakdown. It also does not explain the historical origin of the name “Texas sheet cake” or establish a single definitive version of the dessert. Rufus’s account of its suitability for hot-weather gatherings is personal experience, not a guarantee that frosting will hold under all outdoor conditions.
The recipe lists raw or toasted pecans as options but does not give separate toasting instructions. It also offers no substitutions for dairy, eggs, wheat or nuts. Readers with allergies or dietary restrictions will need other guidance rather than assuming the listed ingredients can be swapped without changing the result.
Bake, Set and Store
The next steps for cooks are laid out in the recipe: bake until a toothpick comes out clean, cool the cake for 10 minutes, add the warm frosting and pecans, then allow the topping to set for 30 minutes before serving. The stated schedule totals roughly one hour and 17 to 20 minutes from the beginning of the 30-minute preparation period through the frosting set, not counting any additional cooling or cleanup.
Kitchn advises refrigerating leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. The article gives no further publication schedule or follow-up testing, so any additional guidance or changes to the recipe remain unknown.
Key Questions
How many people does the Texas sheet cake serve?
The recipe is listed as serving 12, with the finished cake cut into 12 pieces.
What pan and oven temperature does the recipe use?
It calls for a buttered 18-by-13-inch half sheet pan and an oven preheated to 350°F.
When should the frosting go on?
After baking, let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then pour on the warm stovetop frosting and spread it evenly. Add the pecans and let the frosting set for 30 minutes before serving.
How should leftovers be stored?
Kitchn recommends keeping leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Which common allergens are in the recipe?
The ingredients include wheat, eggs, milk and pecans, which are a tree nut. Check product labels and prevent cross-contact when serving anyone with food allergies.
Source: thekitchn.com
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