Texas Sheet Cake

A chocolate sheet cake with warm chocolate-pecan frosting, transcribed from the family recipe.

Pan: 9 × 13 inches · Oven: 325°F · Baking time: 22–25 minutes · Cooling time: 1 hour

Cake ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs, beaten

Frosting ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cake directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking pan.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
3. Heat the butter, water, and cocoa together. Pour into the flour-and-sugar mixture.
4. Add the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Mix everything together.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 22–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting directions

1. Heat the butter, milk, and cocoa together. Add the vanilla.
2. Beat in the powdered sugar and chopped pecans.
3. Pour the frosting over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
4. Cool for 1 hour before serving.

Notes from the handwritten recipe

Try substituting coffee for the water. Before baking, gently tap the filled pan on the counter a couple of times to release air bubbles.