Martha Stewart Texas Sheet Cake

Martha Stewart Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake is one of my favorite treats to make. It comes together SO FAST. You can get it done in a jiffy and it's always a winner with friends and family.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart's book "Martha's American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation's Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast". The recipe is available online with Los Angeles Magazine.

I've made a few Texas Sheet Cakes in the past. Pioneer Woman has a great one. It is thinner because you use a half-sheet pan, but you can get it done start-to-finish in less than an hour. I make her recipe often. I've also made the Better Homes & Garden version.

Texas Sheet Cake comes together quickly because you boil the butter, water and cocoa together for the batter, and then boil the icing or frosting while the cake is baking in the oven. Instead of waiting for the cake to cool like most other frostings, with Texas Sheet Cake, you pour the frosting on a WARM cake. Easy peasy, no?

I found the cake really yummy. I like baking it in a 9 x 13 pan (compared to the larger half-sheet pan) so you can make it a bit taller - more like a sheet cake instead of brownies. The baking time was very different than the recipe (recipe: 12-14 minutes, me: 21 minutes). Also, I prefer the Pioneer Woman's icing. Martha's recipe has heavy cream in the frosting - while yummy, sometimes I don't have cream in the house.

Recipe from: Martha's American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation's Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast

Texas Sheet Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
1 cup water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Boiled Chocolate Icing (see below)
1 ¼ cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans (I omitted the nuts)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low; whisk in cocoa, then the water. Raise heat and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Pour over flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and tap firmly on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until sides pull away from edges of pan and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes (Mine took 21 minutes to bake). Transfer pan to a wire rack and pour icing over cake while still warm. (Sprinkle nuts on top, if using). Let cool before slicing into squares and serving.

Boiled Chocolate Icing

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (I suggest sifting the powdered sugar)

Bring butter, cocoa, and cream to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Use while still warm. Pour over warm cake.

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did I tell you about my friend Helen and her three awesome daughters Alison, Emily and Rosie? They are, without exaggeration, totally cool and rad. I've known them since the Northridge earthquake when Helen and I started working together. Yes, I date things by natural disasters. Rosie and I are in a cake decorating class right now. I've been posting photos to my instagram account (@foodlibrarian) and will post about it after the class ends.

Alison's friend Erika gave the family this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies...with the secret ingredient of maple syrup!

Although maple syrup is an all-year yummy ingredient, I think of it as a "fall" food. Thus, welcome fall.

The recipe is delicious, but if you want to cut the brown sugar a bit, go for it. They are plenty sweet.

Recipe:

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Erika says she adapted it from a Martha Stewart recipe
1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, grade A
1 egg, room temp
2 t vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven in 325 degrees.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer. Scrap down side of bowl.
3. Add the maple sugar and mix until blended.
4. Add egg and vanilla until blended.
5. On slow speed, add flour mixture. Mix until just blended.
6. Add the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until just blended. Finish with a spatula, but don't overmix.
7. Scoop onto parchment paper covered baking tray. I used a smallish cookie scoop and got 57 cookies.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes (depends on your oven), turning halfway through until edges are golden brown.