Gluten-free Texas Sheet Cake

Get ready for the most amazingly delicious, moist chocolate cake! If you're looking for the perfect chocolate cake to bring to potlucks or coffee with friends, you've found the perfect recipe! No one will believe that this Gluten-free Texas Sheet Cake is actually gluten-free!

A classic Texas Sheet Cake starts with a thin layer of chocolate cake, that's not too sweet, not too dense. It is topped with a chocolate glaze icing that really makes people swoon! Not to mention, this cake stays fresh for days, DAYS! Which we all know with gluten-free baked goods is quite a miracle in of itself!

This dessert is relatively quick and easy to prepare. It's also perfectly portable, can be eaten with or without plates and forks, and is a total crowd pleaser! I mean it's chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, what's not to love?! This Texas Sheet Cake is one of my favorite recipes so far, there is just something magical about this cake!

Ingredients Needed for this Cake

All of the ingredients in this gluten-free Texas sheet cake are pantry staples, which means this is the perfect cake to whip up for a last-minute guest or that work potluck you forgot is tomorrow!

• Pamela's Gluten-free All-purpose Flour: You want an all-purpose mix for baking, one with xanthan gum or another binder already include.
  • I also tested this recipe with Namaste's Perfect Flour Blend and had equally great results!
• Buttermilk: I know, no one likes to buy buttermilk. You can use either the real deal or substitute by placing 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup, then fill up to ¼ cup with regular milk.
• Cocoa Powder: I used dutch-processed cocoa, but any good cocoa powder will work in this recipe.
• Cinnamon: Just a touch! It adds a little depth of flavor!

The baking science behind Texas Sheet Cakes

I said before that this cake was magical, but really there are two scientific factors that lend the perfect texture and flavor to this Texas sheet cake.

1. The method for making a traditional Texas sheet cake is slightly different than most cakes. It technically uses what is called the reverse creaming method. This simply means that the dry ingredients, including sugars, are combined with the fat first. Then wet ingredients are added last. (The traditional creaming method involves creaming the butter with sugars and then the remaining wet ingredients first, and mixing in the dry ingredients last). This creaming method produces a more even crumb and velvety texture for some cakes, including this one!
2. The other major impact comes from blooming the cocoa powder. Blooming the cocoa powder darkens the color and brings out rich cocoa flavor. To bloom cocoa powder in this recipe, cocoa is whisked over low heat with the butter and a little water until the cocoa is dissolved. It only takes a minute or two but the results are quite noticeable!

I made this cake with and without blooming the cocoa and using both creaming methods. The cake itself turned out similarly but the recipe using reverse creaming and bloomed cocoa powder had a darker, richer color, a bolder cocoa flavor, and the perfectly sturdy texture!

Making the Cake

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients together in the mixing bowl.

Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine butter, water, and cocoa powder. Whisk over low heat until cocoa is dissolved. Drizzle that cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Step 3: Drizzle in the whisked wet ingredients and mix well until just combined.

Step 4: Pour the batter into a greased sheet pan and bake!

Step 5: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, it's time to make the icing. (You may find it helpful to measure out the ingredients while the cake is baking.) Melt the butter in a saucepan, then whisk in the cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla. After that, gradually whisk in the powdered sugar. Whisk over low heat until the powdered sugar is dissolved.

Step 6: While the cake is still warm, pour the icing over the cake, working quickly to spread it in an even layer over the entire cake. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

FAQ & Helpful Tips

• Does this cake need to be refrigerated? No! You can surely pop it in the refrigerator to cool and set the icing more quickly, but I would recommend storing the cake tightly wrapped at room temperature.
• How long will it last? This is what I loved most about this cake. It stays fresh for days... DAYS. You can keep it at room temperature for at least 4 days if tightly wrapped and it will still be just as good as the day it was baked. It's truly amazing, especially for a gluten-free cake, which tends to dry out more quickly than traditional baked goods.
• What size pan should I use for this cake? Use a short-rimmed 9x13-inch pan or 10x15-inch pan for this recipe. If you want a traditional, large-sized Texas Sheet Cake, double the recipe and use a 13 X 18-inch or 12 x 17-inch pan.
• Why did the icing crack? Work very quickly to spread the icing! It begins to set rather quickly after leaving the warm saucepan. Sometimes just moving the cake causes a crack after it sets. That's ok and somewhat unpreventable. Take heart, it is ok if the icing isn't perfect, it will still taste amazing!

If you liked this recipe check out these Frosted Pumpkin Bars, another potluck crowd-pleaser that can be eaten with or without a fork!

Shop this Post

*This post contains affiliate links, through which I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

*This post is proudly sponsored by Pamela's Products. I'm so happy to work with this brand as I have been using the products, unpaid since my gluten-free journey began! Thank you for reading and supporting this blog and also Pamela's Products!*

Did you like this recipe?
Please leave a star-rating below! ⭐️
Use the social share buttons to save or Pin this recipe for later!
Happy Cooking!

Don't forget to save this post for later!