PW's Chocolate Sheet Cake

I recently bought a new cookbook -

I haven't bought one

in at least a year...my collection is out of control.

"The Pioneer Woman Cooks"

by Ree Drummond.

Jodie told me about her, we've both made many of the recipes

from her website,

and now her book is my new focus.

When I get a great new cookbook I obsess and make every recipe that

sounds new and tasty! I have to pace myself...

Last night I made this chocolate sheet cake. It is fantastic.

I love that you make the icing and put it on the cake while both are warm.

The top of the cake absorbed the icing and took it to

a whole new level of moist-ness.

All of the ingredients are things you likely have in your kitchen right now.

I love that.

PW's Chocolate Sheet Cake:

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk (if you don't have any I'll tell you how to make it)
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. baking soda
1 c. butter
4 heaping T. cocoa
1 c. water

Icing:
1 3/4 sticks of butter
4 heaping T. cocoa
6 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans

In a large bowl beat the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add cocoa. Whisk together to combine. Meanwhile bring 1 c. water to a boil. When the butter is melted pour the water in the pan. Allow to bubble for a minute then turn off the heat.
With the mixer going, slowly incorporate the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Do this slowly to tempur the eggs. When it is all combined add the sugar, salt and flour. Mix well.
Pour into a ungreased jelly roll pan, or rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. (Mine actually took more like 26 minutes, but check with a toothpick to see when it is done.)
While the cake is baking make the icing.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cocoa and stir until smooth. Add milk and vanilla. Add powdered sugar. Stir together. You can add the chopped pecans now or you can sprinkle them on top of the icing after. (I have a child who dislikes nuts so I left him a corner that was nut-free.)
Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, pour the warm icing over the top of the cake. You'll want to avoid doing much spreading, so try to distribute it evenly as you pour.

***If you don't have buttermilk on hand this is what you can do. Add 1 T. white vinegar to just under 1 c. milk and stir.
BUT...buttermilk is SO versatile! And it is beyond inexpensive. Go buy some.

Bon Appetit!