Mom’s Chocolate Sheet Cake #2
Chocolate Sheet Cake #2
I found out after last week’s post that Mom Slabach had an “original” chocolate sheet cake that she used. The fact is that Aunt Peggy (her sister-in-law) had a chocolate sheet cake recipe and it was the one Mom used – at least some of the time. By the time I married into the family in 1984, the recipe I posted last week had made its debut in Mom’s kitchen, and it’s the one I remember her using. The recipes are a lot alike except this one uses buttermilk with baking soda instead of sour cream. It also uses water and shortening. The frosting recipes are identical.
Both recipes say to add the frosting while the cake is still hot. Some folks wait until the cake is cooled and then make the frosting. If you choose this option, you won’t need as much frosting, because the frosting won’t run down into the cake.
Take the vote for which sheet cake is best
Both recipes are great and, because we are Slabachs, we have strong opinions about which one we think is the best. That means you get to vote and break the tie. Just kidding. I never really took a vote; I just know there is a disagreement on which is the best. The cake freezes well, so go ahead and try this recipe and save it for a rainy day.
My friend Allison, who was eleven, spent the day with me and helped me make this cake. Here she is pouring the batter into the jelly roll pan.
The frosting
To make the frosting, bring the ingredients to a boil and then remove from heat. Add confectioners sugar and vanilla. Here is the start of the frosting, just when it is starting to boil. Once the cake is out of the oven, give it a few minutes to cool and then put the frosting on top while the cake is still warm.
Mom's Chocolate Sheet Cake #2
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick margarine I use butter
- 4 T. cocoa
- 1/2 c shortening I use Crisco
- 1 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. soda dissolved in 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- FROSTING:
- 1 stick margarine
- 6 Tbsp. milk
- 4 Tbsp. cocoa
- 16 oz powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup nuts optional
Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, and salt
- Heat margarine, cocoa, shortening, and water
- Bring to boil.
- Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.
- Add eggs, buttermilk/soda, and vanilla
- Mix well.
- Pour into greased jelly roll pan.
- Bake at 400 for 20 minutes
- FROSTING directions:
- Heat margarine, milk, and cocoa.
- Bring to a boil. Remove from heat
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts (optional)
- Stir until smooth, and spread over warm cake
