Classic Texas Sheet Cake from Betty Crocker

 I thought I had a recipe for Texas Sheet Cake on the Blog but I couldn't find it so I've been researching the best recipes and I decided this one is it. 

Texas cooks created the popular Sheet Cake inspired by German Chocolate Cake. German Chocolate Cake is a labor-intensive Layer Cake topped with a Sweet Coconut-Pecan Topping. The Classic Texas Sheet Cake is an easier version of German Chocolate Cake but topped with Chocolate Icing and Toasted Pecans instead of Sugary Coconut-Pecan Icing. It's has been a Texas favorite for many decades.

The origin of Texas sheet cake is unclear; the story behind German Sweet Chocolate Cake is easier to explain. In 1957 a Dallas newspaper printed a recipe it received from a reader called “German’s Chocolate Cake.” The cake was made with German’s Sweet Chocolate, a sweet, dark baking chocolate developed in 1852 by Sam German, a worker at the Baker chocolate factory in Massachusetts. In no time, nearly everyone in Dallas was baking German Sweet Chocolate Cake and the recipe was passed along to the rest of the country.

Both the German Sweet Chocolate Cake and Texas sheet cake recipes call for two of Texans’ favorite ingredients: buttermilk and pecans. The big difference is that the sheet cake is infinitely easier to put together. Instead of melting chocolate, creaming butter, and beating egg whites, all of which are involved in making German Sweet Chocolate Cake, everything for Texas sheet cake is stirred together in one large bowl. The frosting recipe for both cakes is similar. The German Sweet Chocolate Cake is a stacked 3-layer structure filled with frosting, which takes a little more doing. Given our druthers, we go for the sheet cake. It’s a big old-fashioned cake, easy to transport and a real crowd pleaser.

You'll need a 15" X 10" X 1" Rimmed Sheet Pan.

I love this cake and now everyone can make it. We opted to put Pecans on half of the Cake.

"Sometimes you feel like a Nut, sometimes you don't!"

The only change I recommend is to use Rodelle Baking Cocoa or Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder or Hershey's Special Dark. They're my favorite choices for Cocoa Powder.

Cake:

• 2

  C  Flour
• 2

  C  Granulated Sugar
• 1/4

  tsp Salt
• 1

  C Butter
• 1

  C Water
• 3

  TBS Rodelle Baking Cocoa
• 1/2

  C Buttermilk
• 1

  tsp  Baking Soda
• 1

  tsp Vanilla
• 2

  Eggs, Beaten.

Frosting:

• 1/2

  C Butter
• 3

  TBS Rodelle Baking Cocoa
• 6

  TBS Whole Milk
• 2 1/2

  C Confectioner's Sugar
• 1

  tsp  Vanilla
• 1

  C Chopped Pecans

• Heat Oven to 325°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch Baking Pan with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.
• 2

  In  a Large  Mixing Bowl, stir together Flour, Granulated Sugar and Salt; set aside.
• 3

  In  a 2-Quart Saucepan, Heat 1 C Butter,  Water,  3 TBS  Cocoa to Boiling. Remove from Heat. Pour over Flour mixture.  Stir until well mixed. Add Buttermilk, Baking Soda, 1 tsp Vanilla and the Eggs; stir until Well Blended. Pour into Pan, Spreading Evenly.
• 4

  Bake 22 to 25 Minutes or until a Toothpick inserted in Center comes out Clean. Remove from Oven and transfer to a Cooling Rack. Make the Frosting.
• 5

  In another 2-Quart Saucepan, Heat 1/2 C Butter, 3 TBS Cocoa and Milk to Simmering. Remove from Heat. Beat in Confectioner's Sugar and 1 tsp Vanilla and Whisk until Smooth. Stir in Pecans.
• 6

  Pour Frosting over Hot cake. Cool Completely before Cutting. About 1 Hour.

Enjoy! 

Peace in the Kitchen!