Texas Sheet Cake

Ah, Texas sheet cake: chocolatey buttermilk cake, fudgy pecan icing. Where does your name come from?

Some say it's because your dense, delicious slices are so rich, one only needs a small sliver to feel satisfied (hence, the ability to feed a Texas-sized crowd on a single cake). Maybe your fudgy explosiveness could only come from such a sizable state. Maybe that super-chocolatey flavor is as big as Texas.

Either way, this cake is ri-i-ich, almost brownie like, its accompanying icing quite sweet and studded with pecans. Buttermilk gives it a softness and a slight tang, the perfect foil to such a chocolate overload.

Texas Sheet Cake

serves up to 4; ready in 45 minutes; c/o BH&G

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter

1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 cup water

1/2 beaten egg -or- 2 Tbsp egg substitute

2 Tbsp buttermilk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Grease a 5x5-inch (or equivalent) pan. Preheat oven to 350º. Stir together flour, sugar, soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, cocoa powder, and water together, until you can stir it smooth. Use 30 second intervals, taking it out and checking it each time.
3. Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined (this can be done by hand, with some effort). Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla, beating for an additional minute. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake 30ish minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Top with warm Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting and allow both to cool.

Chocolate-Buttermilk Frosting

2 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup chopped, toasted (optional) pecans

Throw butter, cocoa and buttermilk into a bowl and microwave on high until butter is melted and you can stir them all smooth (use 20 second intervals). Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth (you might need a mixer for this one). Stir in pecans.