Sunday, August 8, 2010

Chocolate Sheet Cake

I had seen this cake over at The Pioneer Woman awhile ago and always wanted to try it, but I never had buttermilk, or regular milk, for that matter. Finally I decided to buy some powdered buttermilk to have around for just such occasions as recipes randomly needing it, and I also happened to have some leftover milk from a different recipe that was on the verge of turning, so used it must be. (Incidentally, that's why I never get milk anymore. I don't use it enough before it goes bad. And bad milk is just gross.) 

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake by freshfromthe.com

Now, this makes a lot of cake. So it's a good thing I have somewhere to bring some today, and can bring some to work as well, because otherwise I would either be eating cake morning, noon and night, or I'd end up throwing a lot away. Which would be a real shame, because whoa is this cake delicious. I mean, whoa. It's definitely very sweet and you can only handle so much at a time, but you won't regret it. Unless you're on a diet, then you may regret it after all. But not for lack of yum.

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CAKE:
  • 2 cups Flour
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • ¼ teaspoons Salt
  • 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
  • 2 sticks Butter
  • 1 cup Boiling Water
  • ½ cups Buttermilk
  • 2 whole Beaten Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • FOR FROSTING:
  • ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
  • 1-¾ stick Butter
  • 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
  • 6 Tablespoons Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.
Cut into squares, eat, and enjoy.

 Here the butter is melting. Melt melt melt. (Regular butter, not unsalted, btw.)

Action shot! Stirring in the cocoa powder.

Dumping the chocolate concoction into the flour/sugar/salt I had previously prepared.

I was working fast at this point and didn't have time to do pictures in between. So here is the cake mixture ready to go into the oven. I just used a regular ole cookie sheet.

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake by freshfromthe.com
And here's how it looks when it comes out.

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake by freshfromthe.com
Meanwhile, you will have made the frosting. If you're going to use the pecans the recipe calls for, I suggest starting the frosting right when you put the cake in the oven. If you're not, then when there's about 5 minutes left you're good to go. This picture shows the frosting all spread out over the cake.

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake by freshfromthe.com

Mmmmm. It'll be hard to resist taking some out when the cake and frosting are still warm, but it will come out a bit of a mess if you try. Trust me, I tried.

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake by freshfromthe.com

Confession time: I didn't use pecans. So those little lumps you're seeing are actually little lumps of powdered sugar that didn't get fully mixed in. Because I was too lazy. And it's just powdered sugar. It won't hurt anyone.

And there you go. I mean, seriously, you'll love this cake. Unless you hate chocolate. But if that's the case, then 1. you're clearly crazy and 2. why are you even still reading this? (Crazy!)

4 comments:

  1. I love reading your baking posts!!! I'll have to try this one sometime...

    I've replaced my 'regular' chocolate chip recipe with that 'otis spunkmeyer' one from several posts ago. I've probably made it 3 times since you posted it! Those cookies are seriously the best. :)

    Hey you should let me know the next time you're in town...would love to see you!

    Melinda

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is very delicious, I highly recommend giving it a try when you have need of a cake!

    I'm glad to hear that those "otis spunkmeyer" cookies went over well with other people, too! They are my new favorites as well.

    I'll let you know, I don't get up there very often, unfortunately!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been wanting to try this sheet cake for a while too, but lack of buttermilk was holding me off (I didn't trust myself to do the whole 'regular milk + vinegar' substitute). Is it really sweet, though? I'm not into overly sweet chocolate cakes.

    It looks REALLY good, though!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The cake itself is not too sweet, the sweetest part of the whole thing is the frosting, which you can probably make to your liking, based on the amount of powdered sugar you add in.

    ReplyDelete