texas sheet cake

Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe is from Cook's Country. Imagine, if you will, pure chocolate decadence. So simple. So chocolaty. So heaven. Make this right this second, but only if you have a herd of people to feed. Don't be tempted to keep this one hanging out on your counter. I'll take my own photo next time.

YIELD: 1 jellyroll/large cookie sheet - feeds an army

INGREDIENTS:

Cake
2 C all-purpose flour
2 C sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C sour cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 TB unsalted butter
3/4 C vegetable oil
3/4 C water
1/2 C cocoa powder

Icing
8 TB (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 C heavy cream (whipping cream)
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 TB light corn syrup
3 C powdered sugar
1 TB vanilla extract
1 C toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 18x13" baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in a SEPARATE bowl until smooth.
2. Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water and cocoa in a large saucepan over medium; stir occasionally until smooth (3-5 mins). Whisk chocolate mixture into flour/dry mix until incorporated. Whisk egg mix into batter, then pour into baking sheet. Bake until toothpick comes out clean (18-20 mins). Transfer to wire rack.

Icing

1. About 5 minutes BEFORE the cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat; stir occasionally until smooth. OFF heat whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temp on wire rack (1 hour) then refrigerate 1 hour until icing is set.
   

NOTES:

Toast pecans in a dry skillet until gold & fragrant. Pecans are totally optional, too. Take a few deep breaths before taking a bite. You might also want to sit down.