Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake with Fudgy Icing

This Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake takes everything you love about the classic potluck dessert and bakes it in a bundt pan. The same thin, glossy icing gets poured right over the top while the cake is still warm.

The cake itself is tender from buttermilk and has a deep cocoa flavor that stays moist for days. Every slice gets that signature crackly icing edge.

Why This Bundt Cake Stays in My Rotation

The cake is simple to stir together, but the icing is what makes it worth turning on the oven. It sets up into a smooth, fudge-like layer that clings to the bundt’s curves and softens just enough as it sits.

It is the chocolate-on-chocolate dessert I reach for when I want something that looks like a centerpiece but tastes like home. No layers, no piping bags, just a warm cake and a pourable icing that does all the work.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled so the crumb does not turn dense.
• 2 cups granulated sugar: white sugar keeps the cake light.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt: balances the sweetness.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda: gives the cake its rise with the tangy buttermilk.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter: cut into pieces to melt quickly with the cocoa.
• 1/2 cup water: helps bloom the cocoa for a deeper chocolate taste.
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder: natural or Dutch-process both work fine.
• 1/2 cup buttermilk: full-fat is best, and cold from the fridge is okay here.
• 2 large eggs: whisked lightly before adding.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: stirred into the batter at the end.

Icing

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter: melted on the stove with the cocoa.
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder: same as above, use what you have on hand.
• 6 tablespoons milk: whole milk makes the richest icing.
• 2 cups powdered sugar: sift it if you see clumps to avoid a grainy icing.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 1 cup chopped pecans: optional, but they add a buttery crunch to the soft icing.

Variations / Substitutions

• Hot coffee instead of water: replace the 1/2 cup water with hot black coffee for a bolder chocolate flavor. The coffee does not taste like coffee, it only deepens the cocoa.
• Nut-free: leave out the pecans entirely. The icing will still set up glossy and smooth.
• Dairy-free: use a good plant-based butter stick, oat milk mixed with 1 teaspoon vinegar in place of the buttermilk, and your favorite dairy-free milk for the icing. The texture shifts a little but the taste is still rich.
• Double-chocolate: stir 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it into the pan. They stay soft inside the cake.
• For a smaller batch, the same batter works as a classic Texas Sheet Cake baked in a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan.

How to Make Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan generously with softened butter or solid shortening, then dust it lightly with flour and tap out any excess. This step is the one that stops you from swearing when you flip the cake out later.

Whisk together the 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined. No lumps should be hiding near the bottom.

Step 2: Bloom the Cocoa in Hot Liquid

Place the 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 cup cocoa powder in a small saucepan. Set it over medium heat and stir often until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth and just starts to bubble around the edges. This takes about 2 minutes. Pour the hot cocoa mixture straight into the flour bowl.

Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick and glossy.

Step 3: Stir in the Buttermilk Mixture

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup buttermilk, the 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour this into the chocolate batter all at once.

Stir gently but thoroughly until the batter loosens and looks like smooth chocolate syrup. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with the back of the spatula.

Step 4: Bake the Bundt Cake

Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter.

Let the cake cool inside the pan for exactly 10 minutes. This gives the crumb a chance to set so it releases cleanly. Run a thin knife around the center tube and the outer edge, then invert the pan onto a wire rack or serving plate and lift the pan off. Leave the cake to cool right-side up if you prefer, but the icing will drip beautifully either way.

Step 5: Ice the Warm Cake

While the cake cools, make the icing. In the same saucepan you used before (no need to wash it), combine the 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and 6 tablespoons milk. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat.

Whisk in the 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the icing is glossy and pourable. If you are adding pecans, stir in the 1 cup chopped pecans now. Pour the warm icing slowly over the top of the still-warm cake, letting it run down the sides and pool a little at the base. Serve warm or at room temperature, while the icing is still shiny.

Tips for a Bundt That Slides Right Out

• Grease and flour the pan, not just one or the other. Even nonstick bundt pans hold onto cakes. Solid shortening does a better job than butter in a nonstick pan, but butter works fine if you dust it well.
• Do not overmix once the buttermilk mixture hits the chocolate batter. Stir only until the color is uniform. Overmixing can make the cake sink in the middle.
• If you do not have buttermilk, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar into 1/2 cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. The cake needs that acid to react with the baking soda, so do not skip it.
• The icing thickens as it cools. If yours gets too stiff to pour, set the pot back over low heat for 30 seconds and stir gently. Do not let it boil.

Keeping Your Bundt Cake Fresh

• Refrigerate: Store the cooled cake covered loosely at room temperature for up to 3 days. In a warm kitchen, pop it into the fridge for up to a week. Let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving so the icing softens.
• Reheating: A 15-second zap in the microwave brings back the just-iced flavor, especially if you have a slice for breakfast.

What to Serve With Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake

A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream is the easy answer because the cold creaminess cuts the rich chocolate icing in the best way. For a bigger spread, set out a bowl of lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh raspberries. Their tartness wakes up the cocoa notes without covering them up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this cake a day ahead?

Yes. Bake and cool the cake completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic. Make the icing fresh the next day and pour it over the cake at room temperature. The icing sets best when the cake is not fridge-cold.

Why did my icing turn out grainy?

Grainy icing usually means the powdered sugar had lumps or the icing got too hot after the sugar was added. Sift the powdered sugar before whisking it in, and take the pan off the heat right after the butter melts so the mixture is warm but not boiling.

Can I bake this in a sheet pan instead?

Absolutely. Pour the batter into a greased 10×15-inch jelly roll pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Make the icing while the cake cools and pour it on while the cake is still warm.

Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 450

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (for icing)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for icing)
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with water and 1/4 cup cocoa powder over medium heat until bubbly. Pour over the flour mixture and stir until combined.
4. In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add to the batter and stir until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
6. While the cake is still warm, make the icing. In the same saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with 1/4 cup cocoa powder and milk over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until glossy. Stir in pecans if using. Pour the icing over the warm cake and let it set for a few minutes before slicing.

Notes

Grease the bundt pan well with solid shortening and a dusting of flour for the cleanest release. The icing will thicken as it sits, so pour it while the cake is still warm so it drips evenly down the sides.