Gluten Free Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake is much more delicious than it is pretty. It’s the kind of cake you serve right from the pan because it’s a little on the fragile side. And, really, if I’m being honest sometimes I just eat it right out of the pan. 

If gluten free isn’t your thing substitute all purpose regular flour for the gluten free flours. This doesn’t work for all baked goods but it doesn’t seem to matter here.

The recipe is loosely based on the one from  Joy of Cooking.

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup oat flour

3/4 cup rice flour

3/4 cup tapioca flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup chocolate chips

3 tbs butter

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp vanilla

2+ cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans or flaked sweetened coconut

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

In a sauce pan heat water, oil, shortening and cocoa. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, whisk sugar, flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl. 

Remove cocoa mixture from heat and pour over dry ingredients.  Stir just until combined.

Mix eggs, sour cream and vanilla together and then stir into batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 25-28 minutes until cake springs back when gently touched.

While the cake is cooling make the frosting. In a double boiler (or heat proof bowl set on top of a sauce pan of simmering water) melt chocolate chips and butter, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cream and vanilla.

With a hand mixer, beat the powdered sugar into the chocolate until it’s a spreadable consistency. Add more powdered sugar or cream to adjust consistency.

Spread frosting over warm cake and top with pecans or coconut (or both).