Tiny Texas Sheet Cake

This tiny Texas sheet cake takes the potluck classic chocolate cake and shrinks the recipe down to fit into an eight inch square cake pan. 

This tiny Texas sheet cake begins with a cinnamon spiced chocolate cake that is topped with a custardy pecan and coconut frosting. 

Each bite of this cake is so moist and delicious. The custardy cooked frosting, with chopped pecans and sweetened coconut, is amazing. I could eat it with a spoon. 

What is Texas sheet cake?

Traditional Texas sheet cake is made in a 13 inch by 18 inch sheet pan and is a staple at potlucks and funerals. Most of the Texas sheet cakes I've seen have a chocolate and cinnamon cake base and are topped with a warm chocolate frosting. 

What all of the recipes have in common is that part of both the cake batter and the frosting are cooked on the stovetop, and the frosting is spread over the cake while it is still warm. 

The cake itself is lightly chocolatey, with just a few tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa. 

The other ingredient Texas sheet cakes have in common is pecans. Did you know that the pecan tree is the state tree of Texas? Plus, pecans are the only tree nut native to the Americas. 

I loved the cinnamon and chocolate combination in this cake. It kind of reminded me of Mexican hot chocolate, but without the cayenne. The cinnamon flavor was faint but detectable, and there was just enough chocolate flavor. 

Plus, aided by butter, buttermilk, and a whole egg, the cake is super moist. You can make this cake in advance and it will not dry out. 

How to make the custard pecan and coconut topping:

While this topping may not be typical Texas sheet cake frosting, it may actually be even better. It has a praline-like flavor that goes so well with the cake. 

First, whisk together egg yolks, milk, sugar, and butter in a saucepan. 

Next, bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. This should take about eight minutes. 

Finally, off heat, stir in vanilla, sweetened coconut, and chopped pecans. You can spread it over the cake while it is still warm.  

If you are from Texas, just know that I'm no expert on Texas sheet cake. If you have any input, I'd love to hear from you! 

This recipe has been adapted from the book, Everyday Little Cakes: 50+ Perfectly Proportioned Confections to Enjoy Every Day of the Week by Candace Floyd. It's the book that the Cake Slice Bakers are baking from this year. So far, it's my all time favorite. Every cake has been perfection. 

Each month The Cake Slice Bakers are offered a selection of cakes from the current book we are baking through. We each choose one cake to bake, and then on the 20th we all post about our cake on our blogs. There are a few rules that we follow, but the most important ones are to have fun and enjoy baking & eating cakes!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages where you can find all of our cakes, as well as inspiration for many other cakes. You can also click on the thumbnail pictures below to take you to each of our cakes. If you have a blog and are interested in joining The Cake Slice Bakers and baking along with us, please send an email to thecakeslicebakers at gmail dot com for more details.

The Cake Slice Bakers also have a new Facebook group called The Cake Slice Bakers and Friends. This group is perfect for those who do not have a blog but want to join in the fun and bake through this book.

Our choices for June 2021 were ~ 

Pina Colada Cake

• All That's Left Are The Crumbs

One Egg Dinner Cake

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• A Day in the Life on the Farm

Tiny Texas Sheet Cake

• Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Making Miracles
• A Little Bit of All Right
• Camille Cooks
• Amandie Bakes

Tiny Texas Sheet Cake

Yield: 9 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

This tiny Texas sheet cake takes the potluck classic chocolate cake and shrinks the recipe down to fit into an eight inch square cake pan.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 100 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 23 grams (3 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 120 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
• 198 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 113 grams (1/2 cup) buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Topping

• 2 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

To Make the Cake

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8 inch square cake pan with parchment paper, Spray the parchment and cake pan with spray oil. 
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa powder, and water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to about 90 degrees F. 
3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture into the parchment-lined pan and smooth the top. 
4. Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out almost clean. Place the pan on a wire rack while you prepare the topping. 

To Make the Topping

1. Whisk together egg yolks, milk, sugar, and butter in a saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. This should take about eight minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla, sweetened coconut, and chopped pecans. 
4. Let cool for about 15 minutes, and then spread it over the warm cake while it is still in the pan. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories

403.18

Fat (grams)

19.15

Sat. Fat (grams)

9.16

Carbs (grams)

53.69

Fiber (grams)

2.00

Net carbs

51.70

Sugar (grams)

40.46

Protein (grams)

6.09

Sodium (milligrams)

377.20

Cholesterol (grams)

112.09

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2021/06/tiny-texas-sheet-cake-cakeslice-bakers.html

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