This cake was around for many of my childhood gatherings with my grandma. It is everything you love about a chocolate sheet cake. I called her this week and asked for the recipe because I wanted to convert it with fresh milled flour. Well, it had a TON of sugar, and I just couldn't do it lol. So this cake turned into a total overhaul but it tastes so much like the original that I think it was a success. My family has devoured this cake and they really aren't crazy about cake. Also another sign of success. HERE it is!
Meemaw's Chocolate Sheet Cake
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups fresh milled soft white wheat flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1 heaping tbs butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
optional: Pecans...measure with your heart
Icing:
1 stick salted butter
2 tbs cocoa powder
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix together. Add the pure maple syrup and vanilla. Add the butter to the cup of boil water to get it melted, add to the mixing bowl and mix until combined. Beat the eggs together in a bowl and add the eggs last. Beat together just until the eggs are well incorporated.
Pour batter into a 9x13 baking pan (Linked my favorite!) or two 9 inch circle pans.(Linked my favorite!) If you bake in a 9x13, bake for 35-40 minutes. If you bake in two 9 inch circle pans, bake for 20-25 minutes. You can always do the toothpick trick if your unsure if its baked all the way through. Slide a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, it is done.
Also I realized a sheet cake is literally supposed to be baked like a sheet, and using the circles makes it a regular cake. But I have issues with rules 😂. I am very practical and think you should use what you have!
Let the cake cool. Make the icing! Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the milk, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, and stir constantly until everything is melted and incorporated. Add the powdered sugar last. Whisk together well.
If you bake it in a 9x13, pour the icing on the cake in the pan while it is hot and serve it in the pan that it is baked in.
If you bake in the circle pans, I like to pop them out and put them in a pie plate. Place one layer in, top with icing and pecans if you want. Add the second layer on top. And pour the remaining icing all over the cake. Top with more pecans. The icing will run down the sides and everywhere. so the pie plate keeps it all contained very well. And if you are cringing about the cake in the pie plate...we break rules around here, okay? We just do the things that work!
Slice it up and try to have some self control because this cake is DANGEROUS!
- Michal