Mocha Texas Sheet Cake

 

Ok, I’m very tempted to call this “The BEST Texas Sheet Cake Ever”, but that might be a bit over ambitious!  Anyway, it’s the best I’ve ever had. :-)  My friend Elisabeth shared the recipe with me.  I don’t know where she got the original, but I understood that her mom made some changes to it.  So, here’s how to make the “yummieness” as I’ve experienced it. :-)

Mocha Texas Sheet Cake

In a large saucepan add:
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee granules

Heat the above ingredients, mixing well, until butter is melted. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking baking SODA
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk above ingredients together until well-combined.

Add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 tsps vanilla
2 eggs

Mix well. (It helps to use an electric hand mixer). The batter will be very thick and sticky.

Add warm cocoa mixture. Mix well, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Pour into greased cookie sheet (15"x10"x1" is a standard size) and bake at 375F for 20 minutes.

For icing:

In a saucepan add:
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsps instant coffee granules
1/3 cup buttermilk

Mix well and heat until mixture barely bubbles, then remove from heat.

Add in:
Approximately 3-1/2 cups of sifted confectioners sugar.
You may need more or less depending on the consistency you want the icing to be.  Spread on the cake.

Enjoy!

NOTE:  This cake freezes well in a single layer with the pieces pre-cut.  It can be eaten frozen or thawed and is good either way.  I would recommend not leaving it in more than a month, or two at the most.

(Note: I think when I made the ones used for the photo above I used two cake pans of a smaller size, so mine might have come out a little deeper.)

Below is one my friend made and served with fresh strawberries.  It was very good! :-)  (The photo was taken at my parents’ house where we had gathered for a meal and fellowship.  Happy times.)