Monday, April 7, 2014

Texas Sheet Cake


This cake is one of those classic desserts that has been around for quite a while.  It goes by other names including: Chocolate Sheet Cake, Chocolate Brownie Sheet Cake and Mississippi Mud Cake (which often includes mini marshmallows in the icing). I think it is probably the best chocolate cake there is.

I don't make it frequently, but I love to make it for a special occasion or for company. It is moist, buttery chocolate, and doesn't need the ice-cream that I often serve with it.  I do sometimes replace half the white flour with half whole wheat, and Coconut Sugar or Sucanat  instead of white sugar, neither of which change the deliciousness and moistness of this cake, but does help it to be a tiny bit more on the healthy side (and every little bit helps… at least I think it does).  I got this recipe from a friend of mine many years ago, when I was newly married, and it has been a treasure in my recipe box ever since.


















Cake:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
4 Tablespoons cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups unbleached flour (or 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup unbleached white flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt (they all work wonderfully).
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
  1. Grease a 10x15x1 inch sheet cake pan and set aside. Note: you can use a smaller pan, and get a thicker cake… its delicious either way.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Put butter, water and cocoa in a sauce pan and bring to a gentle boil.  
  4. Put the remaining dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix well.
  5. Pour hot mixture into dry ingredients and stir well.
  6. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
  7. Pour into a greased sheet cake pan (10 x 15 x 1 is a good size)
  8. Bake 20-25 minutes or until test knife comes out clean.
  9. While cake is cooking, make the icing as follows:
Icing:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
1  box (1 pound) organic powdered sugar  (3-4 cups) or (you can make your own  powdered sucanat by grinding it in a coffee mill if you want).  Keep in mind that you don't want the frosting to stiff… it needs to be pourable
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Chopped Pecans

Icing Instructions:
  1. Melt butter with cocoa, whisking well as it melts.
  2. Add milk and continue stirring.
  3. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Pour over cake as soon as it comes out of oven.
  6. Allow to cool and serve (actually this is a wasted instruction… eat it hot if you like, it is so good any which way you serve it.

12 comments:

  1. Oh, Pam! You are ruining my resolve to be healthier...this looks TOO yummy! Perhaps I will make it when we have LOTS of people coming over. Or...take it to a church potluck. But, I think I should try it first...just to be sure it comes out okay...don't you agree? ;-) Happy Monday to you! Camille

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  2. Dear Pam, I have just finished a post on my Mississippi Mud recipe.
    It is with my pictures you took at our 3o something anniversary party (too funny) Mine is still in a draft but I will be posting it soon....
    I love this sheet cake, Amy has a lemon, one which is amazing!
    Blessings, Roxy xo

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    Replies
    1. I would love a lemon version of this recipe where might I find it?

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    2. Oh my. I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to have instructions for the lemon sheet cake. My mom made this chocolate sheet cake many times. However neither of us ever talked about a lemon version. Thank you in advance for your help. Elizabeth

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    3. Thank you. Elizabeth Not sure if my email address took or not. You can even make it public as I am desperate for the lemon recipe. Thank you, Elizabeth
      ewiz824@gmail.com

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  3. Ive printed off this recipe to make later in the week - looks so GOOD:))

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  4. Too scary. We ate it all up ourselves!! Once again, thank you. It was yummy. I won't be making that again until we have LOTS of people to share with. ;-) Hugs, Camille

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  5. I just love chocolate and cake is much better when it's chocolate and I just really appreciate the recipe and I will be making this on the 31st of this month and it will be for the whole church and we will see if it's as good as it looks Because It Looks So Delicious and Yummy!! Personally I Love Chocolate Cake Again Thanks For The Recipe FB.

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  6. Thanks for stopping by and commenting Frances; I am sure you will love the Sheet Cake. I would love to hear how it came out for you.
    Blessings,
    Pam

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  7. Lady E,
    I have a Lemon Zucchini cake Recipe that has been adapted from a chocolate Zucchini cake, that is just delicious I will get back to you when I get a chance to share it, in the mean time. Check google or try this one at: http://pamsmidwestkitchenkorner.blogspot.com/2010/03/lemon-texas-cake.html

    Her name is Pam also. Her recipe just looked good to me. Hope it works for you.

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  8. It is the easiest cake to make and very good.

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  9. Yes, It really is an easy one. Rachel, so glad you liked. Thanks for commenting.

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