By Shannon Williams
One of my favorite things to do is to save recipes. I get several new ones each day with some cooking websites that I signed up for. I love the ones that come in the newspapers and always buy a cooking magazine when I fly and spend my time on the plane tearing out the ones I hope to someday cook. I have boxes full of them, but my favorite ones are the ones given to me; those are always the best. I love the story that comes with them; maybe a potluck favorite from when I first got out of college, began working, and had to come up with something for the monthly birthday potluck. Others came from family and friends. I have one that was given to be my two people dear to me. It is for a chocolate Sheet Cake. I love to bake, but I hate to ice cakes, it just ends up looking like a mess with icing all over the kitchen, so any cake recipe that I can pour the icing on is always good for me. My first mother in law gave this to me first and it was so easy and such a crowd pleaser, I learned it fast and used it for years. In fact, I made it so many times my son baked one for one of his sociology classes at college. They were studying customs and cultures. He baked the cake for the class and talked about his West Texas roots and church potlucks and how this cake was part of them both. Only problem was, it tastes so much better with a big old scoop of Blue Bell ice cream and you still cannot get Blue Bell in California

After working for the local mental health agency for almost 23 years, I decided to change jobs and thus they gave me a party when I was leaving. (Side note, one of my favorite coworkers of all times would not let us throw her a going away party, as she said, you did not give me a party when I came, so why would you give me one when I am leaving. Therefore, I always take new employees to lunch on their first day, and tell them that way I can give them a party when they leave.) One of the gifts I got the day I left that job, was this cake, but it was not just the cake, it came with the pan that you use, which was great, as you really need something that has a little higher sides than just a cookie sheet. The recipe was also included. It was a great gift. While I was back at home a few weekends ago, I ran into the woman who gave me the cake, pan and recipe so many years ago. Her husband was the CFO, and is one of the sweetest men I have ever known, and she was just as sweet as he was. When I saw them at the restaurant, I had to tell them both after all these years how special that gift was and that I had copied them and give a cake, pan and recipe to others.

It is a simple cake, but it can and will bring smiles to the faces of those you share it with and it is such an easy way to express what is in our hearts. When I was moving my mother into the assisted living, I was packing up all of her cook books to bring home with me and I found a copy of this recipe in one, with a note in her handwriting “a family favorite,“ again it had touched my heart…so I am sharing it with you, many of you have this recipe or a version of it.

Chocolate sheet Cake (some call it Texas Sheet cake)
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
4 tablespoons of cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Directions for the cake: In a saucepan mix butter, water and cocoa, bring to a boil. Put the other ingredients in a bowl, and add the butter, water, and cocoa mixture. Beat well; Pour into a greased and floured cookie sheet. Cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Allow the cake to cook for about 5 minutes.

For the icing
1 stick butter
4 tablespoons Butter
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Bring ingredients to boil, add one box of powdered sugar
Mix with a beater
Stir in 1 cup of chopped pecans
Pour and spread the icing while it is still warm

*Makes enough for 1 or 10 if you are planning to share. And don’t forget the big ole scoop of Blue Bell Ice Cream.

[Nov-2-2020]