I don’t need any convincing when it comes to baking a cake, especially a chocolate cake. It’s one of my favorite desserts, and I’ve made many versions over the years. I keep the best in a binder full of beloved recipes, and the chocolate cake section is one of the largest.
Among those great recipes is a classic Texas sheet cake that I hadn’t thought about until recently, when I came across a Reddit thread about a 100-year-old cake. The recipe, a Texas sheet cake, is similar to the one in my binder, but came with a few surprises. Intrigued, I gave it a try.
What Is Texas Sheet Cake?
The exact origins of Texas sheet cake aren’t clear, but the Southern chocolate cake, also known as Texas Funeral Cake, was (and still is) often brought to Texas funerals because its large size could easily feed a crowd. It’s also often topped with pecans, a nut native to the Lone Star State, which firms up the theory that the cake is a Texas creation.
Others speculate that the recipe was developed by former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. The Library of Congress even did some digging into those claims, but no conclusive evidence was found to tie LBJ to sheet cake. However, she did make some seriously delicious lemon bars.
How to Make the Reddit 100-Year-Old Cake
This recipe reminded me of my grandmother’s recipes, written like a conversation, with ingredients and steps combined in a few grouped sentences. The original poster, @Dealer_Puzzleheaded, said the recipe was their great-grandmother’s and that she would make the cake for their grandpa. The Redditor added, “Made this a couple [of] weeks ago for [my grandpa’s] 92nd birthday, and we frequently have this at holidays.”
After a few quick read-throughs, I was ready to get to work. The first step was to combine sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Next, I combined butter, water, and cocoa powder in a saucepan and brought it to a boil. I poured that over the flour and used a whisk to beat the mixture until it was combined. I added sour cream and baking soda, followed by eggs and vanilla, and poured the batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
While it was baking, I made the frosting, which came together by combining oleo (I used butter), cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Once the cake was done, I poured the frosting over the still-warm cake. Then, I patiently waited until the frosting was set before slicing and enjoying.
How Does the Reddit Texas Sheet Cake Taste?
Texas sheet cake is unique and built differently than other chocolate cakes. It seems like an experiment that shouldn’t work, but it does.
Sara Haas/Allrecipes
Unlike typical cake batter, this batter is thin, and it’s also hot, thanks to the addition of boiling water. And the frosting does nothing to ease your mind. Unlike typical buttercream, this frosting is also heated and poured right over the still-warm cake. But if you trust the process, you’ll be rewarded.
The resulting cake, including this Reddit version, is delicious and satisfying, like the perfect mash-up of chocolate cake and chewy brownies. And that frosting, added when the cake is still hot, creates a fudge-like topping that’s completely irresistible and exciting.
So, should you make this 100-year-old cake? Yes! I’ve always loved Texas sheet cake, and if you’re a chocolate cake lover like me, you’ll love this classic version. It’s perfectly chocolaty, moist, and I’m already looking forward to making it again.
Dining and Cooking