Texas Sheet Cake is a tried-and-true recipe that has stood the test of time - put it in cupcake form and it is bite-sized perfection. The fudgy frosting is poured over the hot cupcakes to make the ultimate dessert.
OurGrandma’s Texas Sheet Cakeis one of my favorite desserts – what’s not to love about a tried-and-true chocolate recipe that has stood the test of time?! I have always wondered why they call it Texas Sheet Cake.
I’ve heard that the recipe originated in Texas in the 1950’s and I have also heard that it’s called that because the cake is so huge and perfect for feeding a crowd the size of Texas. Regardless of the name, it’s delicious!
My grandma would sometimes top her Texas Sheet Cake with nuts, but always made sure to leave part of the cake nut-free for the kids. If you want, you could top these cupcakes with chopped nuts and it would be delicious!
The fudge frosting on these cupcakes are what make the cupcakes. The frosting is different than your regular frosting because you don’t need to pipe or spread it on, but instead you mix it all together and pour it over the hot cupcakes.
As the cupcakes cool, the frosting will set and stay in place. I wouldn’t recommend making these cupcakes without this frosting!
I wondered if it would be possible to make Texas Sheet Cake in cupcake form . . . and surprise! It worked!! I love how moist and fudgy Texas Sheet Cake is and it was perfect in cupcake form – just like an individual serving of Texas Sheet Cake should be.
Related Recipe: Try our Texas Turtle Sheet Cake!
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Tips for making these Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes:
There have been quite a few people who have made this recipe and struggled with the middles of the cupcakes sinking in. The beautiful thing about this recipe is that you can fill that sunken middle with fudgy frosting and no one will even know!
However, here are some tips to keep the middles from sinking in:
- Do not fill these cupcakes more than 2/3 full.In fact, I would recommend going a little less than 2/3 full, more like 1/2 full. These cupcakes do not have a rounded top like regular cupcakes, but instead they are more of a flat top. If you fill the cupcake liner more than 2/3 full, the batter will cook up and over the edge and your middle will sink down. They will also be undercooked, making them more prone to sinking in the middle. Less batter is definitely the way to go with this recipe!
- Do not use an electric mixer, but instead beat these by hand.Over-mixing will cause your cupcakes to fall in the center when they cook. You want to make sure that you mix with a whisk or spatula until the ingredients are just combined and then be done.
Serves: 24
Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes Recipe
Texas Sheet Cake is a tried-and-true recipe that has stood the test of time – put it in cupcake form and it is bite-sized perfection.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
PrintPin
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup buttermilk *
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Fudge frosting:
- 6 Tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup butter
- 4½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 24 cupcake liners into muffin pans.
In a small saucepan, bring the butter, water, and cocoa powder to a boil. Turn off and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking soda. Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and cocoa mixture to dry ingredients in bowl. Stir until blended, being careful to not over-mix. Pour batter into cupcake liners (a little less than 2/3 full, no more than 2/3 full or they will sink in the middle).
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until done. They will be moist- make sure that you don't overcook them! Cool completely.
In a small saucepan, combine milk, cocoa powder, and butter. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir until it starts to thicken slightly (about 3-4 minutes). Drop a tablespoon full onto center of each cupcake. The frosting will thicken quickly, so do not make the frosting until ready to put on cupcakes.
This frosting is different than other frostings because it's a "pour-on frosting." It is not a spread or pipe-on. It will still be a little runny when it is applied. The frosting will harden as it cools on the cupcake. The best way to tell when it is ready to use is to drop a spoonful on a plate and see how far it spreads. When it spreads just to the width of a cupcake, it's ready. If it spreads too far, stir for a little longer.
Notes
*If you don’t have buttermilk, no worries! Mix 1/2 cup milk with 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for a minute before adding to other ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 307 kcal · Carbohydrates: 49 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 8 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 45 mg · Sodium: 160 mg · Potassium: 60 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 39 g · Vitamin A: 389 IU · Calcium: 20 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Equipment
Saucepan
small bowl
Cupcake pan
Cupcake Liners
Recipe Details
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Join The Discussion
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MAKEUP OBSESSED MOM says:
Oooh! Those look great! I just made a Betty Crocker yellow cake with milk chocolate frosting. I need to try a real homemade cake or cupcakes sometime. Thanks for sharing! Stacie xo
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The Daily Smash says:
This is my husbands fav cake he would love these and whats even better we dont have an entire sheet cake sitting on my oven for days lol
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Jocelyn says:
I always find myself eating way more when the treats are small sized!!! And Texas sheet cake in cupcakes...awesome idea girl:-)
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Sue says:
I followed the recipe 2 times exactly and the middles fell in both times. What's Up? That has never happened before.
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Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says:
Those are way gorgeous!
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Green Family says:
Sue, I just had the same thing happen to me :( Sad, sad!!! I really wanted to eat these!
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Camille says:
I am so sorry! I don't know why . . . I know that when one of our sisters lived in a different part of the country, she was always having to adapt her recipes for altitude and humidity, because that plays such a large role in baking. I don't know what your altitude is, but here is a great article about adapting recipes: http://allrecipes.com/howto/high-altitude-cake-baking/
You could always just fill the middle with frosting. :) -
Camille says:
I am so sorry! I don't know why . . . I know that when one of our sisters lived in a different part of the country, she was always having to adapt her recipes for altitude and humidity, because that plays such a large role in baking. I don't know what your altitude is, but here is a great article about adapting recipes: http://allrecipes.com/howto/high-altitude-cake-baking/
You could always just fill the middle with frosting. :) -
Jessica says:
My cupcakes came out beautifully! However, I think the recipe for the icing is a little off. I had to add more milk to the mixture to make my icing the right consistency.
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Beverly Goodman says:
My frosting came out too dry...maybe my stove was too hot? Either way, my 12 year old son loves them! :)
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Judy says:
Yep, my cupcakes spread over the edges of the cups and crashed in the middle. I would bet it is because I live at a pretty high altitude. I have never had any problems with my normal Texas Sheet cake recipe so maybe I'll try it in cupcakes and see if they work. Too bad - but I did salvage some of the cake and plan on making cake bites with it.
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AshleyBeth says:
My husband wanted these for his birthday so I thought I would make them..even though I was nervous bc of the above comments. These came out wosnderful!s Just like a texas sheet cake! I wanted to comment as I did have trouble with the sinking middle on one I filled more than 2/3. Some I shot for more of 1/2 filled and they came out perfect! Thanks for the recipe! Oh and the frosting came out great for me with the exact recipe you gave
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Mrs. Yazzie's Classroom News says:
Mine also fell in the middle. I do live in a high altitude area (6,800 feet), so maybe that's it. I've lived here for 20 years, so by this time I'm a pretty seasoned baker and don't have problems due to altitude. I will try the recipe once more before I scrap it just to be sure--maybe it was some other fluke. The cupcakes do look great, so I hope I can figure out what I need to do make get them to turn out like yours!
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CreekHiker / HollysFolly says:
Texas sheet cake is known for cinnamon...
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Kristen says:
My recipe sunk as well. I suggest a note be added to the original recipe to adjust for elevation. I didn't read the comments until it was too late.
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Lisa McTaggart says:
Are these regular sized cupcakes or minis?
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Cyd says:
These are regular sized cupcakes.
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jenine says:
these cupcakes were disgusting. not to mention they completely sunk down in the middle. this is embarrassing. i dont know how im supposed to surve these. actually i wont. im going to toss them and find a new recipe
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Lauren says:
I loved these!! My husbands family loves loves texas sheet cake, and so I made these exactly as written here for my MIL bday party. They were a huge hit and my husband is my biggest food critic?he can't wait for me to make them again!
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elizabeth says:
i would not make these if i were any of you. i must be the hundredth person who had a HUGE failure and i do NOT live in altitude. there is something wrong with the recipe for cupcakes. don't trust it.
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Mary A says:
I agree....I live in Iowa and have NEVER had trouble with a recipe falling in the middle...until this one. I am so very dissapointed as I made these to surprise my teenage son whose having a rough time of it lately. I found a recipe for texas sheet cake cookies that turned out perfectly....going to pitch these and make the other instead.
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Cindy Iversen says:
Overbeating may be what is causing your cupcakes to fall in the middle. I have used a similar recipe as a sheet cake for years. Do not use an electric mixer, mix with a whisk or spatula just until ingredients are combined.
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~Becca~ says:
What does it matter if the cake falls in the center? Its still good. Eat it. My kids and hubby would never let an "ugly cupcake or cake" go to waste!! Frost it and eat it anyway people. If it drops in the center, use a regular piped frosting and pipe some on, Nix the pour frosting in that instance.It's NOT brain science!!! My kids would devour all your "oopsies" cupcakes in a day and ask for more the exact same way.
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Brittney says:
So sad mine just crashed in the middle too:( I was so excited! Southern Utah is not the place for these.
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Jen says:
First off I would like to thank the author for taking time to post the recipe. Second I agree, just eat the sunken cupcakes and quit complaining. Every baker is different. We mix different, each oven is different, ect. Sunken middles sometimes are the result of under baked products. Instead of negativity, try the recipe again if you don't like it again toss it and move on.
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Jan says:
These cupcakes turned out great. Be careful not to fill your liners too full. Like recipe stated no fuller than 2/3 full. The ones I overfilled did sink in, just a couple. Probably cause like I said they were too full and then they were slightly undercooked from the ones filled with less. Nothing the frosting won’t cover up. Simple fix. Curious how many cupcakes is this recipe suppose to make?
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Cyd says:
This recipe makes 24 cupcakes.
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Eva Rivera says:
The cup cakes came out ok. Even tasted ok. Not the best but good. There needs to be more instructions . Bake until done and don’t over bake....maybe add if the toothpic test works to test doneness. Then the hot mixture from the stove. Will it curdle the eggs? I mixed mine hot with the flour, pretty well, first before the liquid add. And the icing.....it almost made fudge. I gave up with it (I don’t like fudge) and made buttercream.
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Ruth says:
appreciate the recipe... delicious taste even with coconut extract instead of vanilla...I had no baking soda so used baking powder instead and they raised...
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Gloria says:
Oh wow, these turned out beautifully. The icing was perfect. After reading comments, I adjusted my flour by adding 1/4 cup so the cupcakes wouldn’t fall. But I don’t think I needed to make that minor change. They are awesome!
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Cyd says:
Hi Gloria! Thanks for letting us know and we are so glad you liked the Six Sisters Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes. Have a wonderful week.
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Jessica says:
Can you freeze these cupcakes?
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Cyd says:
These will freeze great in a freezer container.
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C mcintyre says:
I’m wondering if you put the frosting on a cooled cupcake or right after pulling the cupcakes out of the oven?
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Momma Cyd says:
In step number 4 it says to cool the cupcakes completely. Some people do like them frosted while still a little warm for a delicious dessert. It's totally up to you. The frosting will run more it they are warm.
About The Author:
Camille Beckstrand
Camille Beckstrand is married to Jared and they have 4 kids. She is a certified life coach that loves helping women become "unstuck" in their lives and is the host of the podcast "Moms On The Rise". She also loves a good true crime podcast, a big plate of cheesy loaded nachos, and going on adventures with her family.
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