Texas Sheet Cake

 Here's a picture of Leta Gay Myers, my paternal grandmother, in her wild youth.

And here she is with my paternal grandfather, Lloyd.  She is about 75 here and Lloyd is about 68.  Younger man, rrooww!


My all time favorite recipe of hers is Texas Sheet Cake.

You will need:

1 stick of butter (1/2 c.)
1/2 C vegetable oil or shortening
4 T cocoa
1 C water

Mix in a saucepan and bring to a low boil.

Then in a bowl mix:

2 C flour
2 C granulated sugar
1 t baking soda

Add hot mixture to bowl of dry ingredients and mix well.

Then add:

2 eggs lightly beaten
1t vanilla
1/2 C buttermilk**

Beat all ingredients 2 minutes and pour into a greased and floured cookie sheet.

Bake 15 minutes at 400 F.

For the icing:
 Take
1C butter
4 T cocoa
6 T buttermilk
Mix together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add one box powdered sugar (3 1/2 C), 1 t vanilla extract to melted mixture.  (at this point you can add ~1 c chopped pecans or walnuts if you desire and I won't even judge you, Philistine)  Spoon over cake after it has cooled for ~15 minutes.

Cool completely before eating.  In fact, it is really best chilled in the refrigerator.

And I have no idea why its called Texas Sheet Cake.  Maybe the recipe is Texan?


**If you are like me and never remember all the ingredients you need when you shop, you can make an adequate substitute for buttermilk thusly:


Pour 1 scant cup of milk into a jar and add 1T lemon juice or white vinegar.  Cap and shake vigourously then let sit for at least 5 minutes.  Voila!  Buttermilk.