mmmm....caaaaake

We are headed to a BBQ tomorrow night, and I said I'd bring dessert.

It's not hot as Satan's armpit like it has been for much of the country, so I thought I'd actually bake something.

I want cake, and I want chocolate.  So, chocolate cake it is.  I say this like I don't want chocolate cake every day.  Form your own opinions and judgments as you see fit.

I went back to the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook because, quite honestly, it's the only one down from the high shelf right now, and I'm lazy.

I made this:

Chocolate-Buttermilk Sheet Cake (aka Texas Sheet Cake)


2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. butter
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. water
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 recipe Chocolate-Buttermilk frosting

1. Grease a 15x10x1 or 13x9x2 inch baking pan; set aside.  In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder, and water.  Bring mixture just to boiling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add the cocoa mixture to flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thoroughly combined.  Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin).  Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake in 350 oven for about 25 minutes for a 15" pan, 35 for a 14" pan, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

4. Pour warm Chocolate-Buttermilk frosting over the warm cake, spreading evenly.  Place cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly.

Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting

In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 c. butter, 3 TBSP cocoa powder, and 3 TBSP buttermilk.  Bring to boiling.  Remove from heat.  Add 2 1/4 c. sifted powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  If desired, stir in 3/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans.

First of all, that frosting is as good as it looks.  It is like very thin fudge.  If I could shrink myself a la "Honey I Shrunk the Kids", I would have gone for a swim in it.

Since the end product is for a BBQ tomorrow, you'll have to stay tuned to find out how it tastes.  It came out with the lovely 'We live at altitude' dip in the middle.  BUT, the well in the middle would make my fudge frosting laps much easier (if I was, in fact, pocket sized).

On to the next baking adventure.................