First things first – There is nothing “Texas sized” about this cake, nor is it baked in a sheet pan. But sometimes I’m in the mood for Texas sheet cake but I don’t want to make enough to feed an army. That’s when I make a mini Texas sheet cake. It is made in an 8×8 pan and makes about 9 generous servings (instead of the typical 20+). It delivers all the flavor of a typical Texas sheet cake; moist chocolate cake with a nut studded chocolate icing, just in a smaller package.
If you’ve ever made Ree Drummond’s “Best Chocolate Sheet Cake” then you know that it really is the best of the best. I adapted my recipe from her full size chocolate sheet cake and tried to get it as close to the same as possible. Enjoy!
Mini Texas Sheet Cake
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Makes one 8×8 cake
Cake:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup hot water
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Icing:
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter or spray an 8×8 baking pan, set aside
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa and stir together. Add hot water and allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. Pour over flour mixture and stir lightly.
In a large measuring cup, whisk the milk, egg, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture into the butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into buttered pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, make the icing:
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together; whisk if necessary to break up any powdered sugar lumps. Stir in the pecans and pour evenly over the warm cake once it comes out of the oven.
Celebrating Sweets 