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
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.
Link of the Day:
This looks good. Having lived in Texas last year (and moved to NJ) this might be a good Thanksgiving treat to bring.
Wow, congratulations!!!!! I am totally not surprised that your book is a number one seller. Your recipes are the best! Like this cake. I am practically drooling. This looks fab!
This looks light, fluffy, and delicious!! Perfect timing for Thanksgiving too, thank you!
Congrats, Katie! I’ve never heard of Texas sheet cake, but it sounds like I’ll have to give it a try! 🙂
I’ve always wanted to make Texas Sheet cake, but was horrified at the amount of butter and sugar. Now I can happily make it guilt free 🙂
Congratulations on your book! That is so awesome; and this cake looks so moist and yummy!!!
This looks great! However, I have searched your site and cannot find the chocolate icing recipe! Maybe you could post it WITH the Texas Chocolate Cake recipe. That would be most helpful!
Thanks!
It is with the cake! It’s right below the directions for making the cake 🙂
Combined 1/4 cup plus….. in the instructions Posted to make the frosting for the Texas sheet cake start at off by saying “ combines 1/4 cup plus.” 1/4 cup of what? I’m excited to try this recipe but I wasn’t sure what to add here.
“Combine 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp powdered sugar” which means you need 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of powdered sugar total.
Additionally, do you think using coconut flour would work out the same as the options you mentioned?
This looks amazing! I loooove rich cakes and I can’t imagine how you make everything taste so good and remain so healthy! I always try healthy recipes expecting ‘health food’ and you always deliver with awesome results 🙂 Congrats on your book!
Oh, wow, congrats!! What wonderful news 🙂
So this is the cake to celebrate your success! Thanks for another makes-me-drool-all-over-the-screen recipe!
Only 3/4 cup sugar in this cake, you are amazing, Katie!! I’m looking forward to reading and trying out new recipes when your cookbook comes out. Many blessings!