Texas Sheetcake help please

[SillyOldBear]

I have a recipe that belonged to the mother of an old friend. She made THE best Texas Sheetcake. It was always moist, tender, and choclaty with a semi-rough, but soft, crumb. She gave me the recipe, and I have never been able to duplicate it. I can't contact her to find out why, so I'm coming here. When I make it, the cake comes out mealy, with a very fine, dry-ish crumb. To look at it, it looks like a cake-style brownie. But it is much softer than a brownie. It's good - it tastes fine, and the texture is ok. But it's not what I remember, and it's not as good as hers was. Is it the ingredients? The order? The amount? Here is the recipe.


2 C Flour
2 C Sugar
2 Sticks buter
4 heaping Tbsp Cocoa
1 C Water
1/2 C Buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
Bring to boil the butter, cocoa, and water. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Pour cooled cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and soda. Mix well. Pour into a greased sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (it will spring back.)

FROSTING
1 Stick Butter, melted over low heat.
4 Tbsp Cocoa (add to butter)
Remove from heat and add:
6 Tbsp Milk
1 box Powdered Sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 C nuts
Mix well and pour warm or cooled frosting onto hot cake.

Any ideas?

Thanks very much!
SOB

 

[Aunt Bea]

This is the one that I use.

2 cups AP flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1 cup oil
2 FRESH eggs
2 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 cups hot coffee or boiling water

Mix everything in one bowl, bake in a 11X17 pan that has been sprayed with PAM, at 350 degrees for approx. 20 - 25 minutes.

Frosting

1/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 t vanilla extract

Melt butter in microwave add cocoa sugar milk and vanilla beat until smooth and spread on cooled cake.

This has been a standard item at family picnics. It feeds quite a few people and it is not expensive.

 

[Pamala]

I have a similar recipe that has no eggs. The buttermilk/baking soda is the leavening. Let me know if you want the recipe(Fannie Farmer cookbook).

 

[SillyOldBear]

Thank you Aunt Bea - not sure about the coffee though. Does it really change the flavor of the cake?

Pamala - with no eggs in the cake, how does that change the crumb texture?

Thanks!
SOB

 

[Pamala]

Bear, it is a moist cake with a 'rough' crumb. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it isnot fine. I'll post the recipe tomorrow... bedtime here

 

[Aunt Bea]

All I can tell you is give it a try and see if you like it.

I think it wakes up the cocoa and makes it holler!

 

[LPBeier]

All I can tell you is give it a try and see if you like it.

I think it wakes up the cocoa and makes it holler!

I agree! Coffee makes chocolate that much better. If I am making my signature chocolate cake and know a lot of kids will be eating it, I just use decaf, but it doesn't really matter.

 

[simonbaker]

I have a recipe that belonged to the mother of an old friend. She made THE best Texas Sheetcake. It was always moist, tender, and choclaty with a semi-rough, but soft, crumb. She gave me the recipe, and I have never been able to duplicate it. I can't contact her to find out why, so I'm coming here. When I make it, the cake comes out mealy, with a very fine, dry-ish crumb. To look at it, it looks like a cake-style brownie. But it is much softer than a brownie. It's good - it tastes fine, and the texture is ok. But it's not what I remember, and it's not as good as hers was. Is it the ingredients? The order? The amount? Here is the recipe.


2 C Flour
2 C Sugar
2 Sticks buter
4 heaping Tbsp Cocoa
1 C Water
1/2 C Buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
Bring to boil the butter, cocoa, and water. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Pour cooled cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and soda. Mix well. Pour into a greased sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (it will spring back.)

FROSTING
1 Stick Butter, melted over low heat.
4 Tbsp Cocoa (add to butter)
Remove from heat and add:
6 Tbsp Milk
1 box Powdered Sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 C nuts
Mix well and pour warm or cooled frosting onto hot cake.

Any ideas?

Thanks very much!
SOB

May try not overmixing the cocoa mixture into the flour.

 

[renerenec]

Just wondering if youve solved your texture issue yet? I have an amazing recipe I was given by a dear fellow foodie friend many years ago. It has never failed me! The KEY is to use a clay bar pan. I use my beloved pampered chef large bar pan. I have tried making this in standard metal pans and the tossable pans. Its just not the same texture at all. Also, my recipe calls for sour cream. This makes SUCH a big difference with the texture and moisture of the finished cake! Heres my recipe:

Boil and let cool:
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
4 T cocoa powder


2 cups ap flour
2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Sour cream
2 eggs

Mix all dry, mix all wet
add wet to dry
add cooled liquid mixture
mix just until blended
pour into a large flat cake pan

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. A clay bar pan will take a few minutes longer.

Frosting:
1 stick Butter (room temp)
1 pound powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
5 Tablespoons milk (more if needed)

Mix and pour over HOT cake

The frosting will thicken as the cake cools.

This recipe has never disappointed me!
I hope this gives you the results you are looking for!

 

[Addie]

The difference I noticed right away in the first two recipes posted is that the second one included hot liquid. I find that the hot liquid added to cocoa always helps the chocolate bloom thus improving the flavor.

 

[Oldvine]

My recipe is nearly exactly the same except it includes 1 teaspoon cinnamon. I don't think the ingredients for this particular cake will produce a fine textured cake.