White Texas Sheet Cake for Valentine’s Day

If you’re looking for a delicious and easy-to-make white cake, look no further than the Texas sheet cake! This classic dessert is perfect for any occasion, and it’s sure to please everyone. Trust me – this is one recipe you’ll want to keep in your back pocket.

Let’s be honest: we all know how hard it can be to find a dessert that is sure to please an entire crowd. It has to have that right balance of being delicious but also something easy enough that you don’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen.

Thankfully, I have just the recipe for you!

Yes, my friends, today we’re whipping up a delicious white Texas sheet cake. I don’t know about you, but traditional Texas sheet cake (the chocolate variety) was a dessert staple in my family.

While I have yet to share that recipe (this post reminded me that I should), I have shared my recipe for peanut butter Texas sheet cake, which is still one of my favorites!

As you can see, I gave my sheet cake a Valentine’s Day spin. But, you could easily customize this dessert by adding whatever sprinkles fit the occasion—or skipping them altogether. There is no right or wrong when it comes to white Texas sheet cake!

And speaking of Valentine’s Day, if you’re looking for more love-inspired treats, you can find a collection of my favorites here.

What is Texas sheet cake?

The day I was making this, I was talking to a friend who told me he’d never heard of Texas sheet cake. I found that interesting, so I did a little research, and it turns out that the origin of it is a bit of a mystery.

Apparently, there is some connection to a similar dessert known as German chocolate cake. (Some day, I also need to share a recipe for that; it’s yummy, too!)

People seem to like Texas sheet cake because it requires fewer steps and less time and clean-up. Plus, it’s a large cake. If desired, you could cut it into smaller pieces and serve even more than 24.

Speaking of, perhaps it’s called Texas sheet cake because it makes a cake big enough to serve a crowd the size of Texas! But that’s part of the beauty of this recipe.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this cake is fairly simple, and all items you likely already have in your pantry.

• Flour: The standard all-purpose variety is what I recommend for this sheet cake.
• Sugar
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Unsalted Butter
• Eggs
• Sour Cream: Believe it or not, sour cream is a must-have in this cake recipe. It adds moisture without thinning the batter out, so it’s nice and fluffy still.
• Almond Extract: Make sure to add almond extract. It adds the perfect punch of flavor to this cake.

Of course, a big part of why this cake is so delicious is the frosting. To whip up a batch of frosting, you’ll need:

• Unsalted Butter
• Whole Milk
• Confectioners’ Sugar
• Almond Extract: Again, don’t skip this! It adds a ton of flavor to this recipe.
• Kosher Salt
• Garnish: This is the fun part – you can top your cake with any kind of sprinkles you’d like or go with a more classic sheet cake topping like walnuts.

How to Make

Here’s the beauty of this recipe: it’s actually really easy to make.

First, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and then turn to the stovetop to prepare your wet ingredients.

In fact, I think cooking some of the ingredients for both the cake and frosting is what makes this recipe taste a bit different from a standard cake.

Water and butter are brought to a boil and then added to the dry ingredients, along with sour cream, eggs, and almond extract.

All of that gets poured into a large lined sheet pan, baked in the oven, and it’s ready in about 20 minutes.

Next, a frosting glaze is made from confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, and milk and spread all over the warm cake.

Then, a handful of colorful Valentine’s Day sprinkles for the perfect finishing touch (or whatever kind of sprinkles match the occasion).

So simple!

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you know all about how to make this tasty treat, let me address a few questions I get about this dessert.

Should Texas sheet cake be stored in the fridge?

No, you don’t need to store your Texas sheet cake in the fridge. The frosting is stable enough to keep it at room temperature for up to four days.

That being said, some people prefer the taste of sheet cake cold. I also find that the cake is moister when stored in the fridge, so that’s my preference. Just make sure to wrap it up before you place it in the fridge.

Can I make this sheet cake ahead of time?

Absolutely! It’s actually a great dessert to make ahead of time because it allows the flavors to meld together and become even more delicious.

Once your cake is baked, cooled, and frosted, you can store it in an airtight container for up to four days. Make sure to wrap it if you plan on storing it in the fridge, as the cream cheese frosting can lose its texture if exposed to too much cold air.

And that’s it! Our White Texas Sheet Cake is complete and ready to be devoured!

The cake is moist, sweet, and flavorful – ideal for sharing with the ones you love.

Enjoy, and Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Do you like this recipe? You love these:

• My Favorite Valentine’s Day Treats
• Ombré Frosted Cookie Bars
• Surprise-Inside Cupcakes
• No-Bake Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecakes
• Cinnamon Sugar Cake

White Texas Sheet Cake

This White Texas Sheet Cake is a delightful way to serve a sweet treat to a crowd. And, dressed up with colorful sprinkles, it becomes a special dessert for Valentine’s Day!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, texas sheet cake, valentine’s day, white cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 24 people

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Chopped walnuts or sprinkles to garnish

Instructions

• Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 15x10x1-inch sheet pan with baking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
• Then in a small saucepan, add the butter and water. Bring to a boil and quickly remove from heat. Stir the hot liquid into the flour mixture.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and almond extract until smooth. Pour that into the flour mixture and stir until smooth.
• Spread the batter in the prepared sheet pan. Baked 18-22 minutes until the cake is just golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
• While the cake cools, prepare the frosting by combining the butter and milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and salt. Spread the glaze over the warm cake and immediately top with sprinkles.

Notes

Note: Traditional Texas Sheet Cake is made with walnuts in the frosting. If you prefer, you can stir in 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the glaze before spreading it over the cake.