Texas Turtle Sheet Cake

Y’all, if ever a cake could win hearts on looks alone, this one might just do it. A big ol’ Texas Turtle Sheet Cake with fudgy chocolate cake, poured over with glossy warm frosting, sprinkled with melty chocolate chips and crunchy pecan pieces, then drizzled with caramel sauce for good measure. It’s downright dangerous in the best way!

If this Texas Turtle Sheet Cake had you swooning, go ahead and treat yourself to my Frozen Turtle Pie, Easy Turtle Bars, or Homemade Turtles!

The sweetness of the cake mixed with that fun twist of turtle candy flavors makes it one of those desserts that never sees the light of the next morning. If you’re making this for the first time, don’t fret! This chocolate cake recipe is as simple as they come. We’re talking about basic pantry ingredients, a large mixing bowl, and a medium saucepan. In no time at all, you’ll have a quick recipe that looks like you spent all afternoon on it!

Before You Get Started

• Choose your pan: A standard sheet cake pan (13×9-inch) works just right. If you use a jelly roll pan, keep an eye on baking time since it’ll bake faster.
• Prepared dry ingredients: Go ahead and combine self-rising flour and sugar in a large bowl before you heat the butter mixture. Makes things easier.
• Coffee vs. water: A cup coffee deepens the chocolate flavor, but a cup of water will do just fine.
• Frosting magic: Pour the warm frosting on the warm cake so it seeps in a bit. That’s where you get that soft cake texture we love.
• Lining tip: You can line your pan with parchment paper if you want to make cleanup a breeze.

Recipe Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup strong black coffee (or water)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Chocolate Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons buttermilk (plus an extra tablespoon or two if needed)
• 2 to 2.5 cups powdered sugar

Toppings

• 1/2 cup caramel sauce (you can also use my homemade dulce de leche recipe)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

How to Make Texas Turtle Sheet Cake

1. Prep the Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your sheet pan or line with parchment paper.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine self-rising flour and sugar. Set aside.

3. Make the Chocolate Mixture

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, and coffee. Stir over medium heat until it just comes to a boil, then remove from heat.

4. Bring it All Together

Pour the hot mixture into the prepared dry ingredients. Use a hand-held mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs and a cup of buttermilk, then beat again until the cake batter is well mixed.

5. Bake the Cake

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

6. Make the Frosting

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, and 4 tablespoons buttermilk. Bring just to a boil over medium heat, then remove from heat. Use a wire whisk to gradually blend in the powdered sugar until smooth. Adjust with more sugar or a tablespoon buttermilk at a time to get the consistency you want.

7. Frost and Top

Spread the warm frosting over the warm cake. Sprinkle on chocolate chips and pecan pieces right away so they melt in a touch.

8. Caramel Finish

Just before serving, drizzle caramel sauce generously over the entire cake.

Storage

• Room temperature or fridge: Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you live in a warmer climate, pop it in the fridge so the icing and chocolate chips don’t melt.
• Freezer: You can also freeze leftovers for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Recipe Notes

• Chop and toast: If you prefer, chop up the pecans into smaller pieces. For added flavor toast them in a skillet first for up to 5 minutes.
• Skip the coffee: You don’t have to add coffee to the Texas sheet cake, but just know you can’t really taste it. Instead, it works to enhance the chocolate flavor. You can use espresso or instant coffee, whatever you have on hand.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make my Texas turtle sheet cake with a boxed cake mix?

We all know I’m a big fan of boxed cake mix recipes, so you can definitely use your favorite boxed chocolate cake mix instead of making a homemade chocolate cake from scratch. Simply prepare it as directed and then pour the cake batter into the baking dish and bake as directed. Then you can continue with the remaining instructions.

How do you serve Texas turtle sheet cake?

While it’s delicious as is, for extra decadence serve your Texas sheet cake with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Can I use purpose flour instead of self-rising?

Yes, but you’ll need to add baking powder and salt.

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

Stir 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice into a cup milk, let sit 5 minutes, and you’ve got a quick substitute.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes, cover with plastic wrap or a layer of foil and store at room temp. Just add caramel sauce right before serving so it looks fresh.