Description
This Gooey Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake Skillet is a rich, fudgy chocolate cake baked in a skillet for a moist, decadent dessert experience. Topped with a luscious chocolate pecan frosting, it’s perfect for sharing and guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate lover’s cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 cup water (227 grams)
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (21 grams)
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, chopped (226 grams, 2 sticks)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6 grams)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- ½ cup sour cream (114 grams)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
For the Frosting:
- 6 tablespoons milk (85 grams)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (16 grams)
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, chopped (113 grams, 1 stick)
- 3¾ cups powdered sugar (424 grams)
- ¾ cup pecan bits (86 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare skillet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a medium (10-inch) skillet with nonstick spray and set it aside to use for baking the cake.
- Make chocolate mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine water, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 8 ounces chopped butter. Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then promptly remove it from the heat.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and kosher salt until fully combined.
- Whisk wet ingredients: In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir gently until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Add chocolate mixture: Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the batter. Use a whisk or hand mixer to blend until smooth and uniform.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake is mostly set — it should no longer jiggle in the middle. A toothpick inserted may have a bit of moist chocolate, but if you prefer fully cooked, bake up to 40 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean. Adjust time if your skillet is larger or smaller.
- Prepare frosting: Once the cake is out of the oven, start the frosting by heating milk, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 4 ounces chopped butter together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until boiling.
- Mix frosting: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat the frosting until smooth and creamy.
- Add pecans: Mix pecan bits into the frosting with a spoon until evenly distributed.
- Frost the cake: Pour the warm frosting evenly over the warm cake in the skillet. Let it cool for about 10 minutes so the frosting sets slightly.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve warm, optionally garnished with ice cream, and share with friends!
Notes
- Adjust baking time depending on skillet size; larger pans bake faster.
- For a fudgier texture, slightly underbake the cake as noted.
- Let the cake cool a bit before slicing to allow frosting to set.
- Optional: Serve with vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
