A quick, rich, moist chocolate sheet cake with a simple, fudge-like frosting
Author: Grannie Geek
Recipe type: Cake
Serves: 12-16
Ingredients
For the cake:
½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable shortening
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pound (16oz) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch Kosher salt
1 cup of toppings of your choice: toasted pecans, mini chocolate chips, mini Reese's pieces, mini peanut butter chips, colored sprinkles
Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or use vegetable oil spray to grease a sheet pan - recommended 11"x17"x2" cake pan. You can use a jelly roll pan.
Add eggs and vanilla to buttermilk. Whisk to blend and set aside.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, add one stick (1/2 cup) of butter, ½ cup of shortening, and 2 cups of sugar. Beat on medium speed, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
In the meantime, bring water and 2 Tablespoons of oil to a boil. Remove from heat and add 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder. Stir to mix with a fork or whisk, and set aside.
To the butter/sugar mixture, add 2 cups of flour, baking soda, salt, espresso powder, if using. Mix together on low speed.
Continue on low speed, and add the cocoa/water mixture.
When just combined, add the buttermilk/egg/vanilla mixture. Continue on low speed until just combined.
Remove the mixing bowl, and run a spatula around the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and place on a cooling rack.
For the frosting:
Assemble all the ingredients for the frosting, while the cake is baking.
About 5 minutes before the cake is done, bring the milk and ½ cup of butter to a boil.
As the milk/butter mixture is heating, add the powdered sugar, 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder, and small pinch of salt to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Using the mixer, stir the powdered sugar and cocoa until it's all evenly disbursed.
With the mixer on slow speed, add the boiling milk/butter mixture to the powdered sugar/cocoa mixture in the bowl. The frosting will come together quickly. Add vanilla.
Spread the frosting over the warm cake, using an offset spatula. Work quickly - the frosting will set up. Sprinkle on top toasted pecans or any other sprinkle topping of your choice.
Recipe by At Mimi's Table at https://atmimistable.com/chocolate-texas-sheet-cake/