Description
The Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake is a crowd-pleasing Southern dessert that combines the rich, nutty flavor of peanut butter with a moist, tender sheet cake and a silky peanut butter frosting. Perfect for potlucks, parties, and holidays, this easy-to-make treat serves a crowd and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
For the Frosting:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Heat Butter & Peanut Butter: In a large saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter over medium heat until smooth. Stir in both sugars until combined.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla.
- Combine with Buttermilk & Dry Mix: Alternately add dry mixture and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry. Mix until just combined.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Make Frosting: While cake bakes, melt butter and peanut butter in a saucepan. Stir in milk and vanilla, then whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.
- Frost Warm Cake: Pour frosting over warm cake, spreading evenly. Let set before slicing.
Notes
Peanut Butter Choice: Use creamy, shelf-stable peanut butter for the best texture. Natural peanut butter can cause the batter to separate.
Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Frosting Timing: Pour frosting over the cake while both are still warm—this helps it soak slightly into the top for a fudgy layer.
Mixing Tip: Avoid overmixing once the dry ingredients are added; this keeps the crumb light and tender.
Storage Tip: The cake tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld—just keep it covered at room temperature.
Freezer Option: Freeze unfrosted cake for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost fresh before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/24 of cake)
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 50mg