White Texas Sheet Cake Recipe For 9 x 13 Inch Pan » Hummingbird Excessive

photo of a white texas sheet cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan on marble table with slices removed

Table of Contents

About This White Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

This white Texas sheet cake recipe is a chocolate-free model of my well-liked Texas Sheet Cake Recipe For 9 x 13 Inch Pan recipe (that was featured in The New York Times)! Just like the chocolate model, this white Texas sheet cake is smaller batch. Why?

Whereas most Texas sheet cake recipes instruct you to bake the cake in a 13 x 18-inch jelly roll pan, this recipe instructs you to make use of a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Nonetheless, most Texas sheet cake recipes are additionally flavored with chocolate. This recipe skips the cocoa powder and as an alternative flavors the sheet cake with almond extract, making it a white Texas sheet cake!

The sheet cake is made with a skinny layer of extremely moist cake, flavored with each tangy bitter cream and fragrant almond extract. The cake is then topped with a butter glaze that’s studded with almonds and cracks into sugar shards when sliced.

For much more distinctive sheet cake recipes, take a look at Hummingbird Excessive‘s assortment of sheet cake recipes (together with this vibrant pink Guava Cake and this Small Batch Funfetti Sheet Cake).

photo of a white texas sheet cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan unsliced

Why You Ought to Make The Recipe

The recipe is a smaller batch model of conventional Texas sheet cake.

I discussed this earlier, however conventional Texas sheet cake recipes are usually 13 x 18 inches giant. In accordance with this Wilton cake chart, that measurement cake serves 72 individuals. Yowza!

As a result of I’m not throwing any giant events any time quickly, I needed to make a small batch model of white Texas sheet cake. I used a 9 x 13 inch pan to make a 9 x 13 inch cake. In accordance with the Wilton chart, this measurement serves 36 individuals.

However actual speak: as a result of the cake is so skinny, I legit ate a 3rd of the pan on my own, no drawback. So I assume take these serving sizes with a grain of salt?

And when you’re inquisitive about much more small batch baking recipes, undoubtedly take a look at Hummingbird Excessive‘s assortment of small batch recipes!

The recipe doesn’t use “specialty” baking gear like a jelly roll pan or a stand mixer.

As a result of Texas sheet cake is a classic recipe, it doesn’t depend on trendy gear like stand mixers and different specialty baking gear. All you want are some sauce pans (the type that you simply use for cooking), rubber spatulas, and a whisk! Why? In contrast to the trendy cake recipes that instruct you to cream elements collectively in a mixer, this recipe instructs you to prepare dinner the batter in a pan. It sounds intimidating, but it surely’s really fairly straightforward!

And since this can be a small batch model of Texas sheet cake, you received’t want a specialty jelly roll pan or half sheet pan.

As an alternative, I instruct you to make use of the more-commonly out there 9 x 13-inch measurement. You need to use a 9 x 13-inch sheet pan like I did, or perhaps a 9 x 13-inch rectangular cake pan for this recipe.

The recipe comes collectively shortly.

One other cool factor about this recipe? As a result of it’s good to soften and prepare dinner a lot of the elements on the stovetop, you received’t have to deliver any elements to room temperature beforehand. They’ll get cooked to the best temperatures as you make the batter. Cool, proper?

Equally, there’s no have to sift any elements like all-purpose flour and confectioners’ sugar. Once more, as a result of these elements might be cooked over the stovetop, the warmth will assist smoothen any lumps within the elements with out sifting!

photo of michelle from hummingbirdhigh setting down a white texas sheet cake unsliced in its 9 x 13 inch pan

Components and Substitutions

Now that I’ve satisfied you to make the recipe, right here’s the whole lot it’s good to make it:

Buying Listing For White Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

  • all-purpose flour
  • granulated sugar
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • kosher salt
  • unsalted butter
  • giant eggs
  • bitter cream
  • almond extract
  • complete milk
  • confectioners’ sugar
  • almonds

And let’s speak about some key elements and potential substitutions:

Frequent Ingredient Substitutions For Components In This White Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

  • All-Function Flour. Substitute the all-purpose flour along with your favourite 1-1 Gluten Free All Function Flour (I like those by Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking Company) to make the cake gluten-free!
  • Kosher Salt. You may change the kosher salt within the recipe with half its quantity in desk salt.
  • Unsalted Butter. You may substitute the unsalted butter with salted butter with none noticeable distinction in style.
  • Bitter Cream. Utilizing plain complete yogurt (Greek or in any other case) will work as an alternative of bitter cream. And when you’re feeling fancy, I like to recommend substituting the bitter cream with crème fraîche!
  • Entire Milk. In a pinch, complete milk will be substituted with 2% or skim milk. However utilizing complete milk makes the cake extra flavorful.

    You can too substitute the entire milk with the plant-based milk of your selection (I like to recommend almond, to enrich the almonds and almond extract within the recipe). However observe that you simply’ll additionally want to seek out plant-based options for the butter and bitter cream if you wish to make the cake dairy-free.

close up photo showing white texas sheet cake slices in 9 x 13 pan

How To Make The Recipe

Listed below are the essential steps to make this white Texas sheet cake recipe from scratch:

First, prep the elements.

  1. Prep the elements for the sheet cake and the frosting. (Prep Time: 10 minutes)
    Let me warn you now: this recipe has numerous elements for each the cake and fudge frosting! That signifies that prep for the recipe is twice so long as it often is for different baking recipes. The excellent news is that a lot of the elements can come straight from the fridge. That’s proper—there’s no have to deliver something to room temperature! Equally, there’s no have to sift any elements like flour and confectioners’ sugar.

    Nonetheless, it’s particularly essential to measure the whole lot out earlier than beginning any of the recipe’s steps. Why? Timing is essential for this recipe. It’s good to make the frosting whereas the cake is within the oven, as a way to pour it onto the cake whereas each are nonetheless heat. Set your self up for fulfillment by ensuring the whole lot is able to go beforehand!

Subsequent, make the sheet cake.

  1. Make the cake batter. (Work Time: 10 minutes)
    Like many classic recipes, this Texas sheet cake makes use of old school strategies of constructing its batter. As an alternative of utilizing a stand mixer to cream butter and sugar, it’s good to prepare dinner elements like butter and water in a saucepan. Then, add the dry elements like flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, adopted by a moist combination comprised of bitter cream, egg, almond extract, and baking soda. It’s bizarre, I do know. However I promise that the tactic makes the softest, moistest sheet cake ever!
  2. Bake the cake. (Bake Time: 18 minutes)
    After making the batter, pour it into the 9 x 13-inch pan and bake for 18 minutes. As a result of this sheet cake is so skinny, it doesn’t want a lot time within the oven. However don’t snooze whereas it bakes! You’ll have to make the fudge frosting to make sure that it goes on to the cake whereas each the frosting and cake are nonetheless heat.

In the meantime, make the frosting.

  1. Toast the almonds. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Whereas the cake is within the oven, toast the almonds for the frosting in a frying pan over medium-low warmth. Toasting the almonds will launch their oils, making a extra flavorful Texas sheet cake!
  2. Make the frosting. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Just like the cake batter, you don’t want a stand mixer to make the Texas sheet cake’s frosting. As an alternative, you soften the butter in a saucepan on a stovetop, then add the opposite elements. Doing so creates a candy-like frosting just like chocolate fudge and New Orleans pecan pralines!

Lastly, assemble and serve the cake.

  1. Assemble the cake. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    It’s good to pour the frosting over the cake whereas it’s nonetheless heat and contemporary from the oven. Doing so ensures a wonderfully clean, candy-like frosting that cracks into shards when sliced!
  2. Cool the cake earlier than serving.
    Equally, though this cake is scrumptious whereas nonetheless heat and contemporary from the oven, I like to recommend cooling it utterly earlier than serving. Doing so permits the frosting to chill and harden right into a candy-like fudge shell just like donut glaze. This texture is essential to the Texas sheet cake expertise! You need a tremendous moist and gentle cake topped off with an ever-so-slightly toothsome frosting.

Reference Images: How To Make The Cake Batter

The recipe instructs you to prepare dinner the cake batter in a sauce pan. While you first add the dry elements to the butter and water, the batter might be lumpy:

photo showing the cake batter in the pan with lumps after the dry ingredients have been added

Nonetheless, combine the dry elements in till simply mixed. Watch out to not overmix! Simply combine till the dry elements have disappeared into the liquid and no main lumps stay:

photo showing the cake batter in the pan after the dry ingredients have been mixed in with no lumps in the batter

Subsequent, add the moist elements. Once more, combine till simply mixed and no huge lumps stay. The second picture exhibits what the batter ought to seem like proper earlier than you pour it into the cake pan:

photo showing the cake batter in the pan after the wet ingredients have been added
photo showing the cake batter in the pan after the wet ingredients have mixed in

Reference Images: How To Make The Frosting

The frosting recipe instructs you to soften the butter for the frosting, then add the remainder of the elements. While you add these elements, the combination might be spotty and lumpy:

photo showing the frosting in the pan after all the ingredients have been added

Nonetheless, proceed mixing and cooking over low warmth till the frosting is totally clean:

photo showing the frosting in the pan after it's been cooked for 5 minutes with no lumps in the frosting

While you’re able to frost the cake, add the sliced almonds and blend them into the frosting till they’re utterly coated. Pour the nice and cozy frosting over the nice and cozy cake:

photo showing the frosting in the pan after the sliced almonds have been added and coated in the frosting
photo showing the process of pouring the frosting over the baked cake

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: Questions About The Recipe’s Strategies

Why do I have to toast the almonds?

Truthfully, you’ll be able to skip this step to save lots of time, however your Texas sheet cake doubtless received’t be nearly as good and flavorful as mine. Why? Toasting nuts brings out extra flavorful oils inside the nuts themselves, resulting in deeper flavors. You additionally enhance their texture by including snap and crunchiness. In case you skip this step, you’ll be sacrificing taste and texture in your Texas sheet cake!

Many shops promote “roasted” nuts. These are technically nuts which have already been toasted. Nonetheless, the longer they sit, the staler and fewer flavorful they develop into. So even in case you have roasted nuts available, I counsel that you simply toast them anyway.

FAQ: Troubleshooting Surprising Recipe Outcomes

Assist! My frosting was tremendous lumpy after I added within the confectioners’ sugar. What did I do fallacious?

Completely nothing. While you first add the confectioners’ sugar to the remainder of the frosting, it would look tremendous lumpy. That is completely regular—I promise! Simply hold whisking the whole lot over medium-low warmth till the lumps smoothen themselves out. If, after 5 minutes, your frosting nonetheless appears to be like tremendous lumpy, don’t panic! As an alternative, flip the stovetop as much as medium and whisk repeatedly. The upper warmth will assist smoothen the frosting.

FAQ: Storing and Serving White Texas Sheet Cake for Later

How To Retailer White Texas Sheet Cake

The white Texas sheet cake will hold, lined tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for as much as 3 days. Alternatively, slice the cake into squares and retailer in an hermetic container.

Does Texas sheet cake should be refrigerated?

No, Texas sheet cake doesn’t should be refrigerated. It may be saved at room temperature underneath plastic wrap or an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. Nonetheless, if storing for any longer than that, I like to recommend refrigerating it!

That being mentioned, when you dwell someplace heat and humid, the frosting tends to develop into gentle and barely runny. I like to recommend refrigerating it if you’d like that fudge-like consistency and serving the cake chilled!

Are you able to freeze Texas sheet cake?

Sure, you’ll be able to freeze the Texas sheet cake within the following methods:

Freeze the unfrosted cake for frosting later.

Comply with the recipe directions to make and bake the sheet cake. Nonetheless, don’t make the frosting! As an alternative, cool utterly on a wire rack. As soon as cool, tightly wrap the cake, nonetheless in its sheet pan, in plastic wrap. Freeze for as much as 3 months.

When able to serve, let thaw at room temperature for two to three hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 10 minutes to rewarm and set on a wire rack. Pour the nice and cozy frosting over the cake and observe the directions to chill and serve the cake.

Freeze any leftover slices of the assembled white Texas sheet cake.

Tightly wrap any leftover slices of cake in plastic wrap and freeze for as much as 3 months. To serve, switch to the fridge to thaw in a single day. Eat chilled, or rewarm for 10 to twenty second intervals within the microwave till room temperature.

Greatest Recipe Suggestions

Prep Tip

  • For this Texas sheet cake recipe, it’s particularly essential to prep the elements for each the cake and frosting earlier than beginning any of the recipe steps. Why? It’s good to pour the frosting onto the cake whereas each the frosting and cake are nonetheless heat. Which means you’ll have to make the frosting whereas the cake is baking within the oven and time it in order that each are prepared on the identical time. Set your self up for fulfillment and be sure to have the whole lot you want beforehand!

Method Tip

  • This recipe makes use of a classic method to make the cake batter. First, it’s good to prepare dinner the butter and water in a saucepan, then add the dry elements. When you add the dry elements, the batter might be lumpy. Don’t panic—that is completely regular! Merely combine the dry elements till all of them are moistened and no main dry spots stay. When you add the moist elements (a combination comprised of egg, bitter cream, almond extract, and baking soda), the batter will smoothen itself out.

Customizing The Recipe

  • I used almonds to make this white Texas sheet cake, however you should utilize any nuts or extracts you may have available. I’d like to see a pistachio model made with pistachio extract (like these pistachio pudding muffins!) and chopped pistachios.

Extra Sheet Cake Recipes

photo of a white texas sheet cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan on marble table with slices removed

White Texas Sheet Cake Recipe For 9 x 13 Inch Pan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Work Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

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Components

For The Sheet Cake

  • 1 cup (4.5 ounces or 128 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (7 ounces or 198 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, minimize into 1-inch cubes
  • ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) water
  • 1 giant egg
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces or 57 grams) bitter cream
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

For The Frosting

  • ½ cup (2.5 ounces or 71 grams) sliced almonds
  • ½ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (8.5 ounces or 241 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces or 57 grams) complete milk
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

Directions

For The White Texas Sheet Cake

  • First, make the sheet cake. Place a rack within the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Calmly spray a 9 x 13-inch sheet pan with cooking spray.

  • Combine the dry elements. In a small bowl, whisk collectively the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

  • Soften the butter, then add the water and dry elements. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, soften the butter over medium-low warmth. As soon as the butter has melted, add the water and blend along with a heatproof rubber spatula to mix. Carry to a boil over medium-high warmth and boil for 30 seconds.Take away from the warmth and place on a wire rack. Instantly add the dry elements and blend till clean. Enable to chill barely when you prep the remainder of the elements.
  • Whisk the egg, bitter cream, almond extract, and baking soda, then add to the saucepan with the remainder of the elements. In a small bowl, whisk collectively the egg, bitter cream, and almond extract till mixed. Whisk within the baking soda, then instantly add all the combination to the combination within the saucepan and blend till simply mixed.

  • Assemble the cake for baking. Pour the batter into the ready pan. Decide up the pan and tilt it backward and forward to unfold the batter into a skinny, even layer throughout the pan.

  • Bake the cake. Bake for 18 to twenty minutes, or till the highest of the cake bounces again when gently pressed and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a couple of crumbs hooked up. 

  • In the meantime, toast the almonds for the frosting. Unfold the almonds in a single layer throughout a medium frying pan. Prepare dinner over medium warmth for five to 10 minutes, utilizing a heatproof rubber spatula to toss the nuts each 2 to three minutes, till aromatic and brown. As soon as toasted, scrape the nuts onto a plate fo forestall them from cooking additional.

  • Make the frosting. In one other medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, soften the butter for the frosting over medium-low warmth. As soon as the butter has melted, add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and salt. Proceed to prepare dinner over very low warmth, whisking repeatedly, till no lumps from the confectioners’ sugar stay and the frosting may be very clean, about 5 minutes. At this level, the cake ought to be finished baking.
  • Assemble the cake. Place the nice and cozy cake on a wire rack for meeting. Add the almond extract to the frosting and blend to mix, then, add the almonds and blend till the almonds are utterly coated within the frosting. Pour over the nice and cozy cake. Instantly choose up the pan (watch out—it would nonetheless be scorching, so use oven mitts!) and tilt it backward and forward to shortly unfold the frosting right into a thick, even layer throughout the cake. Chances are you’ll want to make use of an offset spatula to assist unfold the frosting.Cool the assembled cake on the wire rack for 1 hour, or till the frosting has set and feels stable when gently pressed.
  • Serve and retailer. Serve at room temperature. The Texas sheet cake will hold, lined tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for as much as 3 days.

Notes

  • For this Texas sheet cake recipe, it’s particularly essential to prep the elements for each the cake and frosting earlier than beginning any of the recipe steps. Why? It’s good to pour the frosting onto the cake whereas each the frosting and cake are nonetheless heat. Which means you’ll have to make the frosting whereas the cake is baking within the oven and time it in order that each are prepared on the identical time. Set your self up for fulfillment and be sure to have the whole lot you want beforehand!
  • This recipe makes use of a classic method to make the cake batter. First, it’s good to prepare dinner the butter and water in a saucepan, then add the dry elements. When you add the dry elements, the batter might be lumpy. Don’t panic—that is completely regular! Merely combine the dry elements till all of them are moistened and no main dry spots stay. When you add the moist elements (a combination comprised of egg, bitter cream, almond extract, and baking soda), the batter will smoothen itself out.
  • I used almonds to make this white Texas sheet cake, however you should utilize any nuts or extracts you may have available. I’d like to see a pistachio model made with pistachio extract (like these pistachio pudding muffins!) and chopped pistachios.

NO TIME TO BAKE?!

Over the previous a number of years of working Hummingbird Excessive, I saved an important side of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extraordinarily demanding job within the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I lastly reveal the secrets and techniques to baking scrumptious desserts on a decent schedule.

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