My white Texas sheet cake is a beloved summer potluck staple made quicker and easier with a simple shortcut.
A white Texas sheet cake is a quick and easy summertime dessert that feeds a crowd. It’s meant to be whipped up in a jiffy so you don’t miss out on too much of the action while you’re tied to the kitchen. My semi-homemade recipe doubles down on that quality and calls for a vanilla cake mix as its base. While the sheet cake bakes you’ll whisk together the frosting in a saucepan. Once the cake is out of the oven you’ll pour it all over the top and spread it out. The hardest part is waiting for the frosting to set up (I never do!)
White Texas sheet cake ingredients
This is the very definition of a homey dessert and it’s appropriately made with a handful of pantry staples. Just add paper napkins and lots of cold milk.
- vanilla cake mix
- you’ll prepare it according to the box directions and bake in a quarter sheet pan.
- salted butter
- half and half or milk
- powdered sugar
- almond extract
- sliced almonds
my sheet pan
I like to use this sheet pan for sheet cakes. It measures 12 x 16 inches (always measure pans from outer edge to outer edge.)
go ahead, change it up!
Make this white Texas sheet cake gluten free using a gluten free cake mix. King Arthur Flour and Betty Crocker both make good quality gf yellow cake mixes.
Make it vegan using a plant based cake mix ~ Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake mix is what Peta calls ‘accidentally vegan’. Use an egg replacement and plant based milk as needed. This frosting can be made with vegan butter and plant based milk like soy, almond, or coconut.
Use different nuts like walnuts or pistachios in place of the almonds.
Make a nut free white Texas sheet cake by omitting the nuts and using vanilla extract.
Bake in a 9×12 cake pan for approximately 25 minutes. Your cake will be thicker, and you’ll have a bit of extra frosting.
If you love white Texas sheet cake you’ll also love:
White Texas Sheet Cake
Equipment
- half sheet pan, mine measures 12×16*
Ingredients
- 15 ounce vanilla cake mix, prepared according to the box directions. I use Duncan Hines French Vanilla
frosting
- 3/4 cup salted butter, that's 1 1/2 sticks.
- 1/2 cup half and half, you can also use milk.
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus more if needed
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, I use a heaped 1/2 cup.
- 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a quarter sheet pan with baking spray.
- Prep your frosting ingredients and have ready for later.
- Prepare your cake mix according to the box instructions. Turn the batter out into the prepared pan and spread out evenly with an offset spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently touched, and the edges are just beginning to turn golden. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out without wet batter on it.
- While the cake bakes, prep your frosting. Put the butter, cut in chunks, and the half and half in a medium saucepan and heat to melt the butter. Set aside.
- Once the cake comes out of the oven, place it on a cooling rack and bring your frosting mixture to a simmer. Add the sugar and almond extract and whisk or stir with a silicone spoonula until the frosting is smooth and pourable, but not too thin or too thick. Add extra sugar if you need to thicken it. Stir the almonds into the frosting and immediately pour over the warm cake, spreading the frosting out with an offset spatula.
- Your cake can be kept at room temperature for 2 days. It may also be refrigerated.
Notes
Nutrition
Should the almonds be toasted?
You can go either way. Usually they aren’t, but I’m always in favor of toasting!
made this sheet cake a couple days ago and have been getting the best reviews!
added 3 minutes to my bake time for my oven
next time i am going to chop up the almond a bit more, the slices are too much for my taste; but no one else is fussin
used the yellow cake mix from hill country fare
definitely will make again, especially for a party! excited to experiment with different extracts and nuts!
I love this way more than the traditional Texas sheet cake. It was so light and fluffy. Thank you for this awesomeness!
Wow, this was so delicious and easy to make, and I loved the almond flavour running through it. Absolutely gorgeous. Thank you!
The cake is incredibly moist and has a wonderful almond flavor that everyone loved. The frosting was the best part, it’s a new favorite dessert in our house.
I have to agree, that frosting is the bomb.
I am from Texas and had never heard of a white sheet cake before! Cant wait to try this.
Oh man you’re in for a treat Paula!