Texas Sheet Cake is a recipe my mom's friend ,Carolyn, gave to her many years ago. My mom started making it and I don't think I've ever stopped making or eating it. The thing we changed is the cake pan size. A 9 x 13 metal pan instead of a jelly roll pan. It makes the cake smaller & thicker. We never adjusted the icing amount so you end up with about an inch of the best fudgy icing you can eat. This has to be my most favorite cake. The second recipe is a fairly new one. I like to use Scharffenberger's baking chocolate since it has such a nice flavor. It does take a little more time to do this recipe so I only use it when I'm not in a hurry, or on a special day. It's very good but in my opinion, you just can't beat the Texas Sheet Cake. Especially when you factor in it takes less time, less mess, & has a taste that will never let you down.
Texas Sheet Cake
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
5 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk with 1 tsp baking soda added
1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add water and cocoa and let this come to a boil. Remove from burner and add sifted flour, sugar , eggs, buttermilk with baking soda and vanilla. Stir until dissolved. Pour into a 9 x 13 ungreased metal cake pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Check to make sure it's done by lightly touching the center. Do not let it brown around the edges.
Icing
1 stick butter
5 tablespoons cocoa
5 tablespoons buttermilk
1 box powdered sugar (more or less, not too thin, not too thick)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Use same saucepan. Melt butter and add cocoa and buttermilk. Do not bring to a boil. Add sifted powdered sugar gradually, pecans and vanilla; stir. Spread on warm cake.
Double Chocolate Layer Cake
Epicurious.com
For cake layers:
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon bading powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
For ganache frosting:
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
Two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans
DIRECTIONS
Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a stand mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer.) Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. (Mine doesn't seem to take this long)
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
Make Frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2 to 2 -quart saucepan bring cream, sugar and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency.) Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
