Texas Sheet Cake

I don't get to make full cakes that often. Even though there are five of us, we never finish them. So I get excited when the kids want to have friends over. I can make a cake! Usually I'll try to do something fancy, with layers and a little time consuming. Something pretty, that, let's be honest, I hope they go home and rave about the fantastic cake they ate at our house.


Sadly, that can't always happen. I over booked our schedule. Everything for Friday. We can go weeks with nothing special on the calendar, no must make commitments, just do what we please. I told my daughter she could have friend over for a bond fire Friday night . I completely forgot Friday night was a dear friend's retirement party. Everything was going on this past week. My Mom was in the hospital, scheduled to be released Tuesday, then Wednesday, and they finally let her out Thursday. Late. Grace had a Meeting at school Thursday night, I had to feed the family. The house needed to be straightened up. On Friday, I knew I had errands to run and then 2 parties to attend to that night. I just wasn't in the mood to make that special cake.

A sheet cake was the perfect solution! Especially one that you frost while it's hot so you don't have to wait for it to cool off first. In about 30 minutes, I had the cake completely done. Ready for the girls that night. I got all my errands done, was able to spend about an hour at the retirement party before rushing back home to great the first of Cassie's guests as we both pulled into the driveway at the same time.

The girls all had a great time. Two bags of chips, 4 bottles of soda, a dozen or so hot dogs and 3 bags of marshmallows. Have you ever heard of a game called Chubby Bunny? Basically, how many marshmallows can you put in your mouth and still say Chubby Bunny. I think the record was 11 marshmallows. And my cake? I'm pretty sure at least a few of the girls went home and raved about it.

Texas Sheet Cake

Cake-
1 cup butter
1 cup water
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
dash of salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing-
1/2 cu butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1 box confectioners sugar (4 1/2 cups) sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 x 10 x 1 inch Jelly Roll pan, set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. In a medium saucepan Combine butter, water and cocoa. Heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add in sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla, blending well. Carefully whisk in flour a little at a time, making sure there are no lumps or flour pockets. Pour batter into jelly roll pan, spreading batter to all sides and corners. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and frost immediately. Let cool completely before serving.

While cake is baking, make the Icing.

Combine butter, cocoa and milk in medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix well, using a hand mixer is easiest. Spread over hot cake.

I'm sharing at some of these great parties.