Texas Sheet Cake

We had family over last night for a swim party and barbecue. Now that it's September it feels like summer is officially over. The temperatures are starting to cool down a little. Yeah!

We moved to St. George about 2 years ago. Last year one of my husband's brothers moved here also. They were raised in a family of 9 children. #2, #4, #6, and #8 now lives here. The rest live up North by Salt Lake. We like to tease that the evens live here and all the odd family members still live up North.

If you look closely you can see my BIL catching a foot ball as he comes down the pool slide.

My husband doing a back flip off the diving rocks. Not bad for an old guy

As part of the food, I made a Texas Sheet cake for dessert.

First you toast pecans in a dry skillet over a medium heat, shaking the pan for about 5 minutes.

Heat the chocolate, butter, oil, water and cocoa in a saucepan in preparation for the cake batter.

You bake the cake in a 18X13 inch rimmed baking sheet

The key to getting a fudgy layer between the cake and the icing is to let the warm icing soak into the hot cake. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm icing over it. Use spatula to spread, then top with the toasted pecans.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

Cake:

2 C. all purpose flour

2 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs plus 2 yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 C. sour cream

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3/4 C. vegetable oil

3/4 C. water

1/2 C. cocoa powder

Chocolate Icing:

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 C. heavy cream

1/2 C. cocoa powder

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

3 C. powdered sugar

1 C. toasted pecans, chopped

1.) For the cake: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 18X13 inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.

2.) Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water and cocoa in a large saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. Whisk egg mixture into batter, then pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack.

3.) For the icing: About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temperature on wire rack about 1 hour, then refrigerate until icing is set, about 1 hour longer. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cut into 3 inch squares. Serve