Texas sheet cake for a birthday
Anytime is a fantastic time for a birthday, but I’m particularly partial to those birthdays that fall in the month of June. In my family, I have my dear cousin Andrew, a New York director filmmaker. In the city, I have my old cosmic buddies, Lisa and Jeanette. One of my favorite writers (and a fellow Texan), the belated and much missed Larry McMurtry was a June baby and well, yes, my birthday is in June, too.
I’m kind of shy about my birthday (OK, obviously not that shy if I’m writing about it on the internet for thousands of people to see!), and haven’t had a big bash in a few years. I’m more prone to thoughtful contemplation about the nature of aging, all shared with good friends, good food, good songs and good cheer.
A friend once commented on the choices people make on their birthdays and how this defines them. She divided people into two groups: those who go for the new and those who go for the familiar. I tend to fall in the latter category, wanting my birthday to be about comfort and treasured favorites since getting older is enough of an adventure. Growing up, it wasn’t my birthday unless I was eating a certain chocolate cake known as Texas sheet cake.
Now I don’t know if Texas sheet cake originated in Texas, but you’d be hard pressed to find a Texan who doesn’t serve this rectangular chocolaty dessert. It’s a mainstay at barbecues, pot-lucks, birthday parties, picnics, bake sales, or any event you need a portable sweet that can feed tons of people.
It’s especially appealing in the summer as you can mix it by hand and it only takes 30 minutes to bake. It’s quick and easy and it won’t make you all hot and bothered through overexertion or an oven that’s been on for too long.
So how did it get its name? Nobody really knows. Most say it’s called Texas sheet cake because of the size of the thing, though it’s not that big. Others have said that the Texan part of its moniker stems from its popularity within the state, though I reckon you can find chocolate sheet cake just about anywhere. Then there has been speculation that a long time ago, a Texan sugar or flour company printed a sheet-cake recipe on a package and added the word “Texas” to make it more appealing.
That may be true, but I have yet to find evidence of which sugar or flour producer committed this act, thus making that theory a bit suspect. And to add more confusion to the name’s origin, let’s not forget those who call it Texas sheath cake.
Perhaps that colloquialism refers to how the cake covers your knife as you slice it, but I believe that’s a stretch. Most likely, the term sheath is just another case of your typical Texan malapropism. But no matter what it’s called, I adore it and it was the only cake I ate as a kid. In fact, Texas sheet cake was so ubiquitous in my life, I didn’t even know there were round layer cakes until I was older.
This moist, fine-crumbed cake is usually made with cocoa and buttermilk, but recipes vary in if they call for shortening, butter or, as the one in my possession, Oleo. (I’ve never even seen Oleo, but I think it’s margarine.) And one of the hallmarks of the cake is that the icing is always poured on right when you take the cake out of the oven, making for a slick, shiny and slightly runny topping. So depending on how fast you work, you can usually whip this up in under 40 minutes, which makes it perfect for those steamy summer days when you don’t want to spend too much time laboring in the kitchen.
Since this is such a terrific summertime party dessert, I thought I’d share my birthday cake with y’all. I used my grandmother’s old recipe, substituting butter for the Oleo and I spiced it up a bit with 1 teaspoon of ancho powder. But other than those slight modifications this is the same tasty cake I’ve eaten all my life, an old and familiar friend.
Happy, happy birthday to all my fellow June babies. Now pour yourself a glass of milk and let’s dig in! Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just a few, this soft, heavenly cake is certain to make everyone’s mouth sing with joy.
Texas sheet cake
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)
- Pinch kosher salt
Ingredients for the icing:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
- Sift the sugar and flour together in a bowl. Melt the butter on low in a saucepan, and when melted add cocoa and water. Turn the heat to high and while stirring, heat until boiling. Pour the cocoa mix over the sugar and flour and mix well with a spoon.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt, and mix well with a spoon.
- Pour batter into the pan, and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, 5 minutes before cake is done, to make the frosting, bring to a boil the butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan on low heat. Remove from the heat, and stir in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pecans, and salt. Beat well, and then spread over cake while both are still warm.
Mae–Thank you, my dear! It’s never too late–it just keeps the party going!
Tex,
I am too busy these days to start my own food blog, but I am highly appreciative of your efforts.I shudder to think how much time you put into this blog.
I think I will just enjoy your’s and a few other blogs to get my daily dose of food facts.
The dulce des leches was a dream. I urge to start simmering a few cans soon.
wow. I am making the cake right now, and while we have Texas Sheet Cake for EVERY birthday, and every time we have the slightest opportunity, I have never heard of the hole-poking method. It will be sampled today!
Anyway, thought I’d share that I grew up in Texas, near Dallas. The woman who babysat for us also baked and ironed (Who thinks those were the good old days?!?) Her name was Ruby Eitel, but everyone called her Eitel-Pronounced Idol with a drawl. We loved Eitel cake and thus the birthday tradition was begun.
I was 24 before someone else made Eitel cake and learned that Eitel was not alone in the glory that can be had by sharing Eitel cake with others! Happy birthday to you, as we are celebrating my stepson’s 18th today.
On your Texas Choclate Sheath Cake, I’ve been making that raskell for nye on 40 years now. I have made two modifications to it that always get me good comments. (1) I use strong black coffee instead of water in the cake. (2) Instead of vanilla extract (which as you know is just a flavoring and has no other purpose)I use Jack Daniels as a substitue in the cake and the fudge frosting. Other times I use Bailey’s Irish Creme or Kahlua or whatever pops into my mind. Tastes great.
Another thing, going back to Chicken Fried Steak, in old Austin, over thirty years ago, north of 45th street, (and across the street to the west of where the first mall was built)used to be a restaurant/drive-in that the UT football players used to go to. I think it was called the Stallion. I would go in there for Chicken Fried Steak at lunch or dinner. You could get a short stack (2 steaks high) or a tall stack, (3 to 5 steaks high); like pancakes. Mmmm good. In northwest Houston off of old U.S. 290 was a place called “Hickory Hollow”. they served 3 sizes of Chicken Fried Steak. The small hung off of a 10″ pizza platter, the middle hung off of a 16″ pizza platter, and the largest, was stacked in layers on top of the 16″ pizza platter, came with 4 one-pound bakers (baked potato), salad, and a quart of creme gravy. I once got one of those with 4 extra bakers and fed 16 people at a pool party. Now I am really getting homesick. ‘Cuse me while I go cook some brisket. BEAR ([email protected])
This was my sister’s signature cake. She made chocolate sheath cake and buttermilk pie. I made apple pie and divinity. It wasn’t until I had children that I started making this cake.
My mom’s name for it is “Bride’s Delight” because (even though it ALWAYS comes out good) it turns out to be a different dish every time. It can be high and fluffy. It can be almost like brownies. Much depends on the humidity and the ATTENTION the cook is paying to the enterprise (hmmm, could have something to do with the children as well).
Try it with the new richer cocoa powders. If you don’t have buttermilk try it with milk “soured” with vinegar or lemon juice. Try it with different kinds of flour (to make it “healthy” – yeah, right).
And you can easily double the recipe to have one cake for you and one to give away.
This was always the fastest “goodie” to make for my students/staff or to carry to welcome a new neighbor