If this post were a facebook status, it would read:
Katie is feeling beyond grateful.
Yesterday morning, the The Chocolate Covered Katie Cookbook became the #1 Amazon Best Seller for dessert cookbooks, the #1 Best Seller for health & fitness books, and #4 on the Best Seller list for cookbooks overall.
To everyone who has been ordering the book, thank you so incredibly much.
And now, I shall express my gratitude through food!
Texas Sheet Cake, ubiquitous at southern barbecues and potlucks, is a sinfully rich chocolate cake you cook in a thin pan and then top with frosting. The entire thing can be made in under an hour, and people always always always ask for the recipe.
If southern hospitality could be represented by a dessert, this cake would be it.
However, with 2 sticks of butter, 3 cups of sugar and 4 cups of powdered sugar in the recipe, traditional Texas Sheet Cake is far from healthy. (If you were keeping track, that’s seven cups of sugar…) Traditional recipes will set you back around 300 calories and 12 grams of fat for one small piece of cake.
In my healthy makeover version below, yogurt gives the cake moisture and softness without all the added fat, and I’ve cut way back extensively on the sugar as well. The result is a rich and surprisingly healthy chocolate cake with fewer than 60 calories per serving, including the frosting!
Healthy Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake Healthy Makeover
Print This Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup spelt, white, or Bob’s gf flour
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup xylitol or granulated sugar of choice
- 1/4 cup yogurt (I used Wholesoy)
- 1/4 cup oil OR more yogurt
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- frosting, as desired (my recipe is listed in the instructions below)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 13 x 9 jelly roll pan or baking pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients very well. In a separate bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients. Pour wet into dry and stir until just evenly combined, then pour into the greased pan. Bake 18-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. For the frosting, you can use the recipe below, or any of my Healthy Frosting Recipes, or this cake is delicious even eaten plain!
Here is a healthier makeover of traditional Texas Sheet Cake frosting: Combine 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp powdered sugar with 2 tsp cocoa powder until there are no lumps. Slowly stir in 2 tsp melted buttery spread or milk of choice, stir well, then very slowly add up to 2 more tsp milk of choice. Stir, then spread over the cake.
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Margaret Pigott says
My mom makes hers with buttermilk and says it makes the whole cake, is there any healthier options for that? Also, the frosting doesn’t look as thick as our original recipe, any suggestions?:)
Mary P says
I made this with the double yogurt option and it’s quite tasty! The frosting listed with the milk is the perfect addition. I brought it to a BBQ and it went fast! It’s fudgy, a little spongey , and delish.
Ann says
What can I sub for the yogurt that I would have around my house? Thanks
just me says
how can it be healthy if its got sugar?
Genevieve says
I can’t wait to try making this cake! It looks delicious. I just have a quick question, for the yogurt, do you think i could use a vanilla greek yogurt? Or did you use plain yogurt for yours?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Vanilla is fine.
Apryl says
I tried adding toasted chopped pecans to the icing, and it was delicious!
Lena says
Hi. Was looking at the nutrition info. How many servings dipped the cake make?
Lena says
Hi. How many servings does this make? ? Thanks! !!
Susan h says
For the yogurt…
Can we use Greek yogurt? I can’t digest soy. Thank you
Nkb says
Ahhh-mazing! Made this cake as a football field for my husband’s 40th. Easy-even with the help of 2 small children- and truly delicious. He ate the whole thing guilt free. He couldn’t believe it was healthy!!!
Anne says
Thank you for your super yummy recipe, Katie.
Usually I am not into “healthy” treats. This cake, however, was delicious, moist, chocolaty, fluffy and it was the right balance of sweet yet not too sweet. To all other readers, I can very much recommend to try this Texas sheet cake 🙂
This was the first recipe from yours, it immediately convinced me to try more of your recipe ideas.
Thank you again for your great work!
Penny says
I made this cake a while back for my sister’s birthday with all yogurt (no oil) & Bob’s GF flour with oat milk instead of vegan butter for the icing. I was a little nervous about it because my Dad & aunt are picky meat eaters, but everyone enjoyed it, especially with (NadaMoo) ice cream! It’s one of my fave recipes–thanks!
Jason Sanford says
Wow that looks amazing!
Sara says
So, I had a family get together and knew my mom was making traditional Texas sheet cake… And I knew I’d feel left out not having any. Butni did a Google search and was really excited to find this recipe! I made it with white flour and half almond milk yogurt and half oil. I doubled the icing… I used vegan butter and 3 tsp soy milk for the double batch and added some chopped walnuts.
Anyway, it is DELICIOUS!!! I can’t get over it!! Next time I’m only going to make a half recipe in an 8″ square pan so that when I eat the entire thing by myself in one sitting I won’t feel as guilty!! Lololol!!! Thanks for this awesome recipe!!!
Shirley Davis says
I made it this afternoon and it’s absolutely delicious. I used coconut oil and Greek yogurt and it was perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
Melody says
For the frosting 1/4 cup of what
Laura says
Made this twice with white whole wheat flour and whole family loved it. I am about to make it again! I also sub low sugar vanilla Greek yogurt for the plain in all my baking, including this. It was great! Thanks!!
CCK Media Team says
This makes us so happy to read 🙂