Mayonnaise Is The Secret Weapon For This Iconic Texas Cake

When it comes to versatile cooking ingredients, mayonnaise doesn't always get its proper due, which is a shame because it can be a truly transformative addition. While you may find Japan's drinkable mayonnaise trend a bridge too far, it the condiment still always be close at hand when you're in the kitchen. That's especially true if you're cooking a classic Texas sheet cake.

To find out more about this, we spoke to David Davidov, recipe developer and creator of The Cooking Foodie, to discover what exactly this dessert entails. "A classic Texas sheet cake is known for its deep chocolate flavor, ultra-moist texture, and pour-on frosting that melts into the warm cake. It's rustic, indulgent, and beloved for its simplicity," Davidov says. The unique application of warm frosting is crucial, as it allows the frosting to penetrate the cake slightly, forming a distinct, integrated fudge layer rather than just sitting on top.

When it comes to mayonnaise, Davidov believes it's all about enriching the hydration sensation while still maintaining flavor balance. "Mayonnaise plays beautifully here because it amplifies exactly what makes this cake special: moisture and richness," he says. "The emulsified fat in mayo enhances the cake's texture without making it greasy, and the egg content gives the crumb more structure. It's especially effective in chocolate cakes because the tang in mayo can deepen the cocoa flavor without tasting sour."

The goal when making a Texas sheet cake is a texture closer to that of a gooey brownie than a typical loaf cake, which is why the dish is sometimes referred to as buttermilk brownies or brownie sheet cake. If you're using mayonnaise, that will generally come as a substitute for the buttermilk or sour cream that other recipes might call for.

The mayo gets added to the egg and vanilla mixture, which is tempered with a bit of molten chocolate before mixing into the rest of the wet ingredients. The cake is then iced — often with holes poked in the top layer of cake to allow the warm frosting to seep in — and then topped with either pecans or walnuts.

Texas sheet cakes can be an appropriate offering at any number of events, but it's probably most recognized as something brought to a funeral. In fact, that use of the cake is so common that it's often referred to as Texas funeral cake. This makes sense, given that one of the aspects that makes Texas sheet cake unique is the sheer size of it. It's often cooked in a shallow 10x15- or 12x18-inch sheet pan, which makes it perfect for bringing to a large group. Whether the cake originated in Texas, Alabama, or simply morphed from German chocolate cake somewhere along the way remains a mystery, but its place in the Texas culinary scene cannot be questioned.