From the Kitchen: Pioneer Woman "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever"

It's hard to go wrong with a Pioneer Woman recipe - they are all SO good (probably because they're so unhealthy, but I try not to think about that).  I needed a dessert for last weekend when we had some of B's high school friends over for dinner; however, I was helping a friend out by watching her 3-year-old son while she went to a funeral that day, so I needed something I could make a day in advance.  This was my first time trying this Pioneer Woman cake, and it was delicious - and tasted great even though it was made a day ahead of time!

All of the Pioneer Woman's recipes are scaled to feed a small army; this is a halved version of her recipe so that it makes one 9x13" Pyrex-sized cake.  (Her original recipe makes a whopping 18x13" sheet cake that "feeds 24".)

Pioneer Woman's "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever"

Serves: 12 (makes one 9x13" Pyrex cake)

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 heaping tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (you can use regular milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar instead)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
• 7 tablespoons butter (7/8 stick)
• 2 heaping tablespoons baking cocoa
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use cooking spray to grease a 9x13" glass Pyrex baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter.  While the butter is melting, measure 1 cup flour and 1 cup granulated sugar into a mixing bowl.  Add 2 heaping tablespoons of baking cocoa to the melted butter in the saucepan.  Stir, then add 1/2 cup boiling water.  Allow the mixture to bubble for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and pour into the mixing bowl over the flour and sugar, and stir to mix.

In a measuring cup, pour 1/4 cup buttermilk.  Add 1 egg and beat with a fork.  Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and stir to mix.

Pour the milk/egg mixture into the mixing bowl and stir.  Pour into the greased 9x13" baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the cake bakes, melt 7 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan.  While the butter melts, finely chop 1/4 cup of pecans.  (If you don't like nuts, you can just omit.)  Add 2 heaping tablespoons of baking cocoa to the melted butter in the saucepan.  Stir, and allow the mixture to bubble for 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Stir, then add 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar.  Whisk the icing until no powdered sugar clumps remain.  Stir in the chopped pecans.

Pour the icing over the warm cake, spreading evenly.  Allow to cool slightly before serving (or, if you're like me, make it a day ahead of time and warm in the oven.)  This cake is great served with vanilla ice cream!

Click here to see my other Pioneer Woman recipes!