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Kitchn published a Texas sheet cake recipe by assistant food editor Nicole Rufus, describing a chocolate cake baked in a half-sheet pan and topped with warm, pourable frosting and pecans. The recipe takes 30 minutes of preparation and 17 to 20 minutes of baking, serves 12, and recommends refrigerating leftovers for up to three days.
Kitchn has published a Texas sheet cake recipe from assistant food editor Nicole Rufus, featuring a thin chocolate cake baked in an 18-by-13-inch pan and covered with warm, pourable chocolate frosting and pecans. The recipe lists 30 minutes of preparation, 17 to 20 minutes of baking and 12 servings, offering a relatively direct format for home bakers who want a shareable dessert without assembling cake layers.
The cake batter combines all-purpose flour, granulated and brown sugars, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Rufus’s method has bakers whisk cocoa powder into melted butter, add boiling water, then combine that mixture with the dry ingredients before adding the buttermilk and eggs. The batter is spread in a buttered 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan and baked at 350°F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; choosing the right pan can help ensure even baking. Kitchn gives a baking time of 17 to 20 minutes.
The topping is prepared on the stovetop while the cake bakes. Butter, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, milk and vanilla are whisked together; powdered sugar is sifted in gradually until the frosting is smooth. After the cake cools for 10 minutes, the recipe directs readers to pour the frosting over it, spread it evenly and add chopped pecans. The frosting is meant to remain loose when poured, rather than being applied as a thick layer to a fully cooled cake. It should set for 30 minutes before serving.
The ingredient list calls for two large eggs, buttermilk and pecans, as well as butter, wheat flour and milk for the frosting. Kitchn says the recipe makes 12 pieces and recommends storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The report describes a slightly crackly frosting surface after refrigeration; it does not provide nutritional information or a tested room-temperature storage window.
A Pan Cake Built for Sharing
The recipe’s practical appeal is its one-pan format: the cake is baked and served from the same sheet pan, with no layers to stack or separate frosting to spread after the cake has cooled. That makes the method straightforward for cooks preparing dessert for a group, while the stated yield of 12 servings gives readers a clear starting point for planning.
Rufus says the loose frosting is part of what makes the cake useful for potlucks and cookouts, including in hot weather. That is the author’s personal assessment, not a temperature-tested food-safety claim. The recipe’s basic structure may also help readers distinguish it from other chocolate cakes: the frosting goes on while both cake and topping are warm, and the pecans are scattered over the surface.
For home bakers, the timing is useful but requires coordination. The frosting is started about 10 minutes before the cake is due to finish, then the cake cools briefly before topping. Readers should follow the recipe’s refrigeration guidance for leftovers; the article does not establish that the cake can be safely stored outdoors or in hot conditions for an extended period.
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How It Differs From German Chocolate Cake
Kitchn compares Texas sheet cake with German chocolate cake, noting that both can pair chocolate cake and chocolate frosting with pecans. The report says their methods and assembly differ: German chocolate cake typically involves creaming butter and sugar with a mixer and is assembled in layers, while this Texas sheet cake uses a bowl-and-whisk batter and is baked and served in a single pan.
Rufus also says German chocolate cake is traditionally finished with fluffy buttercream and a sweet coconut filling, whereas this recipe uses a stovetop chocolate frosting poured over a warm cake. Her account of growing up in Dallas and encountering the cake at school bake sales and birthday parties supplies personal context for the recipe, but the report does not document the dessert’s history or establish the origin of its name.
““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 gives a recipe and author commentary, but it does not report independent testing, reader reviews or a comparison with other Texas sheet cake recipes. Its description of the cake as easy to make and suitable for gatherings is Rufus’s assessment, not a separately verified finding.
The report also does not give a precise publication date beyond saying it appeared “yesterday,” and it supplies no nutrition estimates, allergy substitutions or guidance for keeping the cake at room temperature. The ingredient list includes common allergens: wheat, eggs, milk and pecans. Readers managing allergies should not treat the recipe as allergen-free; the source does not provide tested replacements.
Bake, Cool and Refrigerate
The next steps for readers are the recipe itself: bake the cake at 350°F, check it with a toothpick after 17 minutes, prepare the frosting near the end of baking, and pour it over the cake after the prescribed 10-minute cooling period. Allow the topping to set for 30 minutes before cutting the cake into 12 pieces.
For leftovers, Kitchn recommends an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The source does not announce a follow-up test or additional reporting, so no further development is specified.
Key Questions
How long does Kitchn’s Texas sheet cake take to make?
The recipe lists 30 minutes of preparation and 17 to 20 minutes of baking. It also calls for the frosting to set for 30 minutes before serving, after the cake cools for 10 minutes.
What pan does the recipe use?
It uses a buttered 18-by-13-inch baking sheet, also described as a half-sheet pan. The cake is baked and served in that pan.
When should the frosting go on?
Pour the warm stovetop frosting over the cake after it has cooled for 10 minutes. Spread it evenly, add the chopped pecans and wait 30 minutes for the frosting to set.
How should leftovers be stored?
Kitchn recommends keeping leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The article does not give a room-temperature storage period.
Which common allergens are in the recipe?
The listed ingredients include wheat, eggs, milk and pecans. Kitchn does not provide tested allergy substitutions.
Source: thekitchn.com
