Texas sheet cake - Eva Bakes (2024)

FAQs

Why do they call it a Texas sheet cake? ›

Some sources say it may have first shown up in a Texas newspaper, which is why it's called "Texas" sheet cake, while others claim the name comes from the fact that it's the size of Texas. Regardless of its origins, this cake is truly a crowd-pleaser.

The primary difference between sheet cake and regular cake is the size of the cake pan. Sheet cake is made in a sheet cake pan which is a shallow, large pan. Regular cake is usually made in a 9×13 baking dish or, for a double layer cake, it's made in two 8-9” round pans.

Try cake strips.

Wrapping the pan with insulation is another alternative to make a cake bake evenly.

It's baked in a flat, rectangular baking pan and the resulting cake is usually between two to three inches thick. It's long and wide like a sheet—hence the name. A sheet cake can be vanilla or chocolate flavored, but there are many other varieties (pistachio cake is a family favorite of my fiancé's).

Cakes sink in the middle due to several reasons. One reason is that the cake batter might be too moist, causing it to collapse during baking. Another reason could be that the oven temperature is too low, leading to uneven baking. Opening the oven door too frequently while baking can also cause cakes to sink.

Another story tells of a dim sum chef's wife creating a pastry with wintermelon paste influenced by a recipe from her mother's family. The new pastry was found to taste better than the dim sums that were being sold in teahouses, and the chef proudly told everyone it was made by his wife, hence it was named "Wife Cake".

Some recipes recommend rotating the cake pans in the oven while they're baking. Follow your recipe instructions closely. If an oven door is opened before the cake has had time to set, it may cause it to fall. Be gentle when closing the oven door.

Lower the temperature and cook for longer: This is one of the easiest solutions. Lower the temperature by around 10-20°C and increase the baking time slightly. This will make sure the cake tin doesn't heat up too quickly.

The solution to this problem is to cool and insulate the outside of the pan a bit with some water. You can do this by applying wet strips of cloth called cake strips to the vertical edge of the pans. You just soak them in water, wring them out a bit and slide onto the pans.

Use whichever 9×13 inch pan you have on hand. I usually lean towards a glass 9×13-inch pan simply because the cake looks extra beautiful serving right out of the dish. It's what I prefer when making cookies and cream cake and yellow sheet cake, too. If using a metal baking pan, keep a close eye on the cake.

Do sheet cakes have two layers? ›

A standard sheet cake is usually made with two layers of cake, a layer of filling or frosting, and is then covered with frosting. However, for smaller occasions or less formal events, they can be made with a single layer and are simply topped with frosting.

Baking sheets with raised sides can also be used for containing runny batters while baking. Though typically used for cookies, so many different foods, both sweet and savory, can be cooked or baked on a baking sheet. This includes breads, pizza, slab pies and even sheet pan cake.

The term slab cake is pretty interchangeable with the term sheet cake. It's a big, flat rectangle cake. As they are rectangle they can easily be cut up into squares and will feed a lot of people - perfect for a large informal gathering!

The story goes that Hailey, in an effort to wow his customers, placed an order for sandwich bread sliced at double the normal thickness, but then, upon learning that this Texas-sized bread would not fit into the restaurant's toaster, buttered the big slices and toasted them on the griddle. Voilà!: Texas toast.

KITCHEN CAKES are layered sheet cakes that INCLUDE a flavored filling and are frosted, but NOT decorated (other than borders). These cakes are tailored specifically to weddings. KITCHEN CAKES are not displayed, but held in the prep area with your catering staff.

It was called the Elvis Presley cake because it was the one he asked for most often. His grandmother made it for him.