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This mini Texas sheet cake is a rich, tender chocolate cake under warm fudgy frosting that sinks in as it sets. Made from scratch, sized for one or two.
Featured Comment
“I have just made this and it is so moist and good! It is so nice to not have a lot of leftovers to go to waste. Just perfect for my husband and I!!!”
– Eurethia
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Equipment: 1-quart saucepan, 5×7-inch baking dish
- Cook Method: Oven-baked
- Servings: 1 to 2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Rich chocolate in both the cake and the sweet, fudgy frosting, with a soft, moist crumb, a warm note of cinnamon, and chopped pecans for crunch.
A full-size Texas sheet cake feeds a crowd, so this small batch version bakes in a 5×7 dish, made with everyday ingredients and no buttermilk needed.
Why You’ll Love This Small Batch Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
Cut into this cake while it’s still a little warm and your fork sinks through a thick layer of chocolate frosting into the soft crumb below. That frosting is the whole point of a Texas sheet cake. You pour it over the cake while both are hot, and it sets into a fudgy layer as it cools.
The classic version bakes in a big jelly roll pan to feed a crowd, so we built this small Texas sheet cake from the ground up for a 5×7 dish rather than halving a full recipe. Shrinking it that far changes what works. A whole egg adds too much liquid for this little flour and bakes up heavy, so after testing we use just the egg white. It gives the crumb structure and keeps it tender. Save the yolk for one of our egg yolk recipes.
It’s the same chocolate cake that showed up at every family gathering, now sized for one or two. Cut the first square while the frosting’s still soft.
If you love a small chocolate cake, try our chocolate cake for one, mini German chocolate cake, chocolate lava cake for one, mini devil’s food cake, or small batch chocolate cupcakes.
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients for this small sheet cake are simple baking staples you probably already have. If you have anything left over, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cake its structure. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off so the cake doesn’t turn out heavy.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar sweetens the cake and helps keep it moist.
Cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened or Dutch-process both work, so use whichever you have. It flavors both the cake and the frosting.
Butter: It adds richness and keeps the cake moist, and it’s the base of the poured frosting.
Baking soda: This is the only leavener in the recipe, and it’s what gives this thin cake its slight rise.
Salt: A small amount balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate.
Water: It thins the cocoa and butter into a pourable mixture that blends into the batter.
Egg white: The recipe uses just the white, which sets the crumb and keeps it tender at this small size. Consider using the yolk in a single serve custard.
Milk: Regular cow’s milk is all you need but buttermilk can be used instead.
Vanilla extract: It rounds out the chocolate in both the cake and the frosting.
Powdered sugar: This sweetens and thickens the frosting into a smooth, pourable topping.
Cinnamon: A small amount is traditional in a Texas sheet cake and adds a subtle warm spice.
Pecans: Chopped pecans stirred into the frosting add crunch. Walnuts work just as well, or leave them out for a nut-free cake. If you have extra pecans, use them in a mini Italian cream cake or a small batch of Texas Governor’s Mansion cookies.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to change up this Texas sheet cake for two:
German Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake: Stir 3 to 4 tablespoons of shredded coconut into the frosting along with the pecans for a German chocolate flavor.
Use Coffee Instead of Water: Swap the ¼ cup of water in the cake for ¼ cup of brewed coffee. It deepens the chocolate flavor.
Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes: Divide the batter into a lined muffin pan for 5 to 6 cupcakes. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, then spoon the warm frosting over the tops.
Double the Recipe: Double all of the ingredients and bake in an 8×8-inch dish at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How To Make A Texas Sheet Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make this mini sheet cake. You’ll find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Make the cake
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat, then stir in the water and cocoa powder until the mixture reaches a light simmer.
- Pour the warm cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until no dry streaks remain.
- Stir in the egg white, milk, the vanilla, and cinnamon until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into a greased 5×7-inch baking dish and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make the frosting
- Melt butter in a clean 1-quart saucepan over low heat.
- Stir in the cocoa powder and milk and keep stirring until the mixture just begins to simmer.
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until the frosting is smooth.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake, spread it to the edges, and let it cool so the frosting sets into a fudgy layer.
Expert Tips
Start the frosting while the cake finishes baking. Have it ready when the cake comes out, so you can pour it while both are still warm. That’s what lets it sink in and set into a fudgy layer.
Spread it fast. The frosting sets as it cools, so pour it over the warm cake and spread it to the edges right away.
Check the cake at 25 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Expect a thin cake. This mini sheet cake bakes up thin and dense, not tall.
Stick with a 5×7 or 6×6-inch dish. Both give the same thickness and bake time. If you use a bigger dish, the batter spreads too thin and bakes faster.
Troubleshooting
If your chocolate sheet cake for two isn’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues.
Why didn’t my Texas sheet cake rise?
A Texas sheet cake bakes up thin and short by design, so a low cake in the dish is exactly right. The crumb should still be soft and tender when you bite it. If yours came out heavy or tough instead, the baking soda is the likely cause. It’s the only leavener in this recipe, and it weakens once the box has been open a while. Start with fresh baking soda and the cake bakes up thin but tender.
My frosting set before I could spread it. Can I fix it?
Yes. Set the pan back over very low heat and stir until the frosting loosens. If it’s still too stiff, whisk in ½ tablespoon of milk until it turns smooth and pourable again.
Why is my frosting grainy?
Grainy frosting usually means the powdered sugar didn’t fully dissolve. Whisk it in off the heat while the butter and cocoa mixture is still warm, and keep whisking until it turns smooth. If it still feels gritty, set the pan over very low heat and stir for another minute until the sugar melts into the frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This mini Texas sheet cake uses regular milk, so there’s no buttermilk needed. If you have buttermilk on hand, use the same amount for a subtle tang.
A 5×7-inch baking dish. A 6×6-inch dish works too, since both bake to the same thickness in the same time. A full-size jelly roll pan is far too large for this amount of batter.
No, use just the egg white. In a cake this small, a whole egg adds too much liquid for the flour and bakes up heavy. The egg white keeps the crumb soft and tender.
Yes. This recipe never uses sour cream. Butter, cocoa, and milk keep it tender, so it’s one less thing to buy.
No. It keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Refrigerate it if you prefer, and it stays fresh for up to 5 days.
It’s named for its large, wide shape. The cake bakes thin in a sheet pan, Texas style, with warm frosting poured over while it’s hot. This mini version keeps that thin shape in a 5×7-inch dish.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you make this mini Texas sheet cake recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Rate it below and leave a comment to tell me about it. And if you snap a photo, tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
For more small cakes like this one, browse our mini cakes collection.
Mini Texas Sheet Cake
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the frosting
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter a 5×7-inch baking dish.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a 1-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat, then stir in the water and cocoa powder until the mixture reaches a light simmer.
- Pour the warm cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until no dry streaks remain.
- Stir in the egg white, 2 tablespoons of milk, the vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make the frosting
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a clean 1-quart saucepan over low heat.
- Stir in the cocoa powder and 1½ tablespoons of milk, and keep stirring until the mixture just begins to simmer.
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon until smooth.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake and spread it to the edges.
- Let the cake cool until the frosting sets into a fudgy layer, then slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is so close to identical of what I have made for 40+ years. However, mine is done in a 9 x 13 dish. I’ve tried decreasing to 1/2 but is never quite right. You have met my need perfectly.
Thanks for your help
That’s exactly why I make these smaller versions. Halving a big recipe almost never comes out right because the pan size and ratios shift. So glad this one hit the mark for you after all those years.
This is an old recipe that I made many times when my children were young. It is now the perfect size for two servings and tastes just like the recipe I remember. I have just about given up on desserts because of the waste but I absolutely love ever recipe I’ve tried from you. Thank you!
I love that this one brought back memories, now in the right size. So glad the smaller desserts have won you back.
Omg! Easy and perfect for us empty nesters. Thank you!
So glad you loved it! It’s just the right size when it’s the two of you.
Have you ever used buttermilk instead of milk in this recipe?
Yes, buttermilk works beautifully and adds a lovely subtle tang. I mention it as a substitute in the ingredient notes. Use the same amount as the milk called for in the recipe.
This sheet cake was very good even though I forgot to add the baking soda!😄 So delicious and chocolatey!! The perfect size for one person. I need more one person recipes! Thank you!!!!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake and hope you find many new recipes you love here.
I love Texas sheet cake. I appreciate that you included cinnamon. It isn’t Texas sheet cake without it!
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk? Thank you
I’m so glad you appreciate the cinnamon, I agree that it belongs in Texas sheet cake! I haven’t tested this recipe with buttermilk, but it should work as a substitute for the regular milk. It may add a little tang and make the cake slightly more tender. I’d use the same amount called for in the recipe.
It isn’t Texas sheet cake without buttermilk!
You can absolutely use buttermilk here. I have it listed right in the Ingredient Notes as an option for exactly that subtle tang, just use the same amount as the milk. This way the recipe works whether someone has buttermilk on hand or not.
This recipe is amazing…such a moist cake. I missed the cooked frosting and made it cold and it turned out great. I will be looking for more of your recipes
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake and hope you find many more recipes you love here.
Do you spread the frosting on the cake while it’s hot or do you let the cake cool first?
While both the frosting and cake are still hot, pour the frosting over the cake.
Very delicious! Left out the cinnamon and add an whole egg
I made this cake and it was delicious! I didn’t change a thing. It was the perfect size for the two of us.
I saw someone ask about leaving out the cocoa powder and making the cake “non-chocolate”. Many years ago I found a recipe called a Texas white sheet cake. I’ve made it many times and it is always a hit. It has the same dry ingredients as a regular chocolate sheet cake, instead of buttermilk it uses sour cream and it has almond flavoring. I have halved the chocolate cake but I haven’t halved the white one so I can’t guarantee anything.
Perfection! Easy and simple. Absolutely delicious. Used egg yolk in the custard recipe indicated.
I love this mini version of an old favorite. I used Saco Premium Cocoa blend and it was delicious.
Question. Can u omit chocolate? Would I add more flour. Can I exchange 1 T Milk for the entire egg?
Since this is a chocolate cake, the cocoa powder is essential — omitting it would completely change the recipe. The egg white listed in the recipe should also be used as written; using a whole egg would alter the texture and balance of the cake.
Milk isn’t a good substitute for an egg white in this recipe. They serve very different purposes — egg whites help give the cake structure and lightness, while milk adds moisture. Substituting milk for the egg white would change the texture quite a bit.
I searched for “small batch desserts” and then decided to double this recipe.🤣 I did use one egg yolk, and the cake came out perfectly dense but light, airy but smooth – amazing. I cooked 27mins @350F in a 9×13 sheet pan and all proportions were perfect! Thank you for helping me find this nostalgic recipe, and allowing me to share with my kiddo! He loves it!
The cake is very tasty but can you add baking powder or use self rising flour. The cake did not rise
A couple of things could be going on. First, a Texas sheet cake is meant to be on the thin, dense side rather than tall and fluffy, so it won’t rise like a layer cake even when it’s perfect. But if yours came out flat and heavy, the first thing I’d check is your baking soda. This cake relies on it to rise, and if it’s been open a while or is past its prime, it loses its lift and the cake won’t rise at all. Try a fresh box before changing anything. I wouldn’t add baking powder or swap in self-rising flour, since this recipe is built around baking soda and that’s what gives it the right texture. Fresh baking soda is usually the fix.
Thank you for posting this recipe! I used to make this cake often for my family. Now, living alone, I don’t dare make the entire cake. This size is PERFECT. And the cake came out just as delish as I remember it being. I followed the recipe with the exception of substituting coffee for the 1/4C water. This recipe is a Keeper!
I have just made this and it is so moist and good! It is so nice to not have a lot of leftovers to go to waste. Just perfect for my husband and I!!!
I doubled this recipe and put it a 1/2 sheet pans. There was not enough batter. The recipes gives the ingredients for double the recipe, but says to use the same size pan.
Doesn’t make any sense.
This recipe is designed to be a mini Texas sheet cake, which is why it’s baked in a 5×7-inch baking dish. Even though it’s called a Texas sheet cake, the name refers to the style of cake—thin with a poured frosting—not the pan size. The batter, as written, fits this small dish perfectly.
If you double the recipe, it’s meant for those who want a slightly larger cake and can use a larger baking dish—but not as large as a 1/4 or 1/2 sheet pan. Those pans are much too big for the amount of batter, even when doubled.
Love love the mini texas sheet cake, do you happen to have it to make a 9 x13 size? i would like to make it a little bigger next time
Thank you so much—I’m so happy to hear you love the mini Texas sheet cake! I haven’t tested a larger version, but to fill a 9×13-inch pan, you’d likely need to triple the recipe. That said, since I haven’t tested it at that scale, I can’t say for sure how the texture or bake time might change.
I was all ready to make this and after making numerous stops found that the size 5 X 7 is almost like a unicorn its not easily found even on Amazon.. not sure why this was the size that was decided on..
The 5×7-inch baking dish is available for purchase directly from our store page, which is linked multiple times in the post. The post also mentions that this recipe works well in other baking dishes, such as a 6×6-inch pan or 10-ounce ramekins if you don’t have a 5×7-inch dish. I’ve personally purchased both the Peugeot and Le Creuset 5×7 dishes from Amazon, so they are definitely available. This size is ideal for small-batch baking, which is why we use it in many of our recipes. Hope that helps!
This is a five- star cake! Yum!
I have made Texas sheet cake for years and it is by far the best cake out there, bar none! So I was thrilled to find this mini version since there is only myself to cook for now and a large sheet pan cake is just too much. However, I have one question, what is the reason you decided to use an egg white instead of a whole eggs as the original recipe calls for.
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you’re excited about this mini version of Texas sheet cake.
I chose to use just the egg white because, after testing, I found that using the whole egg changed the texture of the cake. The egg white alone gave the best results, keeping the cake soft and balanced. It’s a small adjustment, but it worked best for this scaled-down version. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi – can this be turned into a coca cola cake for one? – Marilyn – Virgina
I haven’t tried turning this into a Coca Cola cake, so I’m not sure how it would work. If you decide to experiment with it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This was delicious! I cheated and did all the preliminary steps using the microwave (As well as the frosting), and it turned out very well!
Hi! I would love to try this recipe but only have a quarter sheet pan. If I doubled your recipe, do you think it would work? If so, would I still bake it for the same amount of time? Thank you for sharing this recipe with us! ❤️
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind words—I’m so glad you’re interested in trying this recipe! I haven’t tested it in a quarter sheet pan (9×13) when doubling, but it should work. You may need to keep an eye on the baking time; it could be slightly longer, so I’d recommend checking for doneness a few minutes beyond the original bake time. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try!