Alex writes from Austin, “Mom, do you know any particularly good chocolate cake recipes?” What better time to post this beauty: Texas Sheet Cake. It is easy and quick and tastes just plain yummy.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter (so far it sounds pretty good, right?)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Grease a rectangular baking pan, set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and sale. set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, and 1 cup water. Bring to boil stirring constantly (yes, Alex, you can do this while talking on the phone). Remove from heat. Beat cholocate mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, buttermilk, an dvanilla. Stir or beat until batter is thin (about 1 minute.) Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 about 25 – 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Err on the side of less time and keep checking it.
Chocolate Frosting
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
3 tbsp buttermilk
2 1/4 powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Mix well, pour over warm cake, spreading evenly. Place cake in pan on wire rack, cool thoroughly before cutting. Or not.
I don’t have a picture; I first tasted it at a neighborhood pot-luck and then looked up the recipe on the interweb. It comes out perfect every time. Bon appetit!
Mmm this looks fantastic!