Texas sheet cake

Grandma-style-cake again – but this time, there’s chocolate involved. ;)

I needed a large cake – the idea was to share it with 12 of my coworkers – and the Texas sheet cake recipe I found at "Bon Appétit Desserts" seemed perfect [yes, I am obsessed with this book, and I know how understanding you all are]. ;)

Both the cake and the icing were delicious and were wonderful together – a day after taking the cake to the office I heard rumors one of the boys had had cake – for lunch. :D

Texas sheet cake
from the fantastic Bon Appétit Desserts

Cake:
1 2/3 cups (233g) all purpose flour
2/3 cup (60g) cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (300g) caster (superfine) sugar
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) hot water

Glaze:
2/3 cup (160ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
170g (6oz) semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cocoa solids), chopped
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, chopped, room temperature
1 ¼ cups (140g) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Start by making the cake: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 22x32x5cm (9x13x2in) metal cake pan.
Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Beat in half the dry ingredients, then the hot water, then remaining dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until risen and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan over a wire rack.

Make the glaze: bring cream and sugar to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add chocolate and butter and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Pour the icing over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the pecans. Set aside until glaze is set.

Serves 15 – I made the exact recipe above and used a 20x30cm (8x12in) cake pan