Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

This recipe comes to us from Ree, The Pioneer Woman.  Most southerners have a sheet cake recipe.  I've never heard of it until coming across Ree cookbook. This cake is absolutely amazing.  It is so moist and the icing makes it taste like a fudge brownie with nuts.  Hubby called it brownie. It is baked in a HUGE pan, which is where the Texas part comes in.  Everything is bigger in Texas right?  I made it in a 17X11 inch pan which I think a 18x12 would be better.  When pouring the icing, I had a little spillage. This awesomly delicious cake will be making regular appearances around our house.

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl

For the Cake:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Cups Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 Buttermilk (See Note)

2 Large Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 Sticks Butter

4 Heaping Tbsp Cocoa Powder

For the Icing:

1 3/4 Cups Butter

4 Heaping Tbsp Cocoa Powder

6 Tbsp Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup - 1 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.  Stir together and set aside.  In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and baking soda and set aside.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add the cocoa.  Whisk together to combine.  Meanwhile, bring 1 Cup  water to boil.  When the butter is melted, pour the boiling water in the pan.  Allow to bubble for a moment, then turn off the heat.  Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir together for a moment to cool the chocolate, the pour in the egg mixture.  Stir together until smooth , then pour into an ungreased jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet (17x11 or 18x12 is best)  and bake for 20 minutes.

A few minutes before cake is done, start on the icing.  Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.  Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.  Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Stir together.  Dump in the chopped pecans and stir until well blended.  Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, pout the warm icing over the top.  You'll want to avoid doing much spreading, so try to distribute it evenly as you pour.

*Note* If you don't have buttermilk, Pour 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup and add enough milk to equal 1 Cup.  Let sit 5 minutes.

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February 2011 Daring Bakers Challenge - Panna Cotta and Florentine Cookies

This month's Daring Bakers Challenge was hosted by Miss Mallory @ A Sofa in the Kitchen.  She decided to challenge us to make Giada's Vanilla Panna Cotta and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

This was the first time I participated in the Daring Bakers Challenge.  I was very, very nervous about making the panna cotta.  Not only have I never made panna cotta before but I've never even eaten before.  To make matters worse, I threw it together at last minute.  I wanted to make it for Valentine's Day, but piles of dishes sitting in my kitchen waiting to be cleaned made me put it off.

This was actually pretty easy to make.  I altered the recipe and came up with a Coconut Cream Cheese Panna Cotta.  It turned out pretty well other than struggling to get it to un-mold.   Mine is no where near as gorgeous as the others that have been posted but with panna cotta being fairly easy and not very time consuming I will definitely be making many different kinds.

Giada's Vanilla Panna Cotta 

my alterations are in purple

1 Cup Whole Milk - 1 Cup Coconut Milk

1 Tbsp Gelatin ( 1 packet)

3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/3 Cup Honey

1 Tbsp Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1/2 tsp Coconut Extract

4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened

 Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl/pot is cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigetor for a few minutes before you start making the panna cotta). Let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.

 Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot, but not boiling, about five minutes. (I whisk it a few times at this stage). 

 Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, cream cheese, extract and pinch of salt. Making sure the mixture doesn't boil, continue to heat and stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved and cream cheese is melted, 5-7 minutes.

Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add garnishes and serve. 


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I seemed to have accidently deleted my photos of the Florentine cookies.  I actually struggled more with those than the panna cotta.  The dough turned out a little to wet and spread way too much.  Some were chewy, some turned out crispy.  They were good though.  They reminded me of Brandy Snaps.  I may not have my photos of them but here is one posted by Mallory.

Nestle Florentine Cookies

2/3 cup unsalted butter

2 cups quick oats

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups dark or milk chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) 

Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper

 Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.

 To the melted butter add oats, sugar,  flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.

 Drop a tablespoon full, three inches apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flaten slighty with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula. 

Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets. 

While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl).

 Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire wrack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean). Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end)cookie atop the chocolate. This recipe will make about 2 1/2 - 3 dozen sandwiched florentine cookies. You can also choose not to sandwich yours, in which case, drizzle the tops with chocolate (over your wax paper).

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