Holy Sheet!

Holy sheet! This cake was good! I got the recipe from my chocoholic friend, Memoria, from Mangia da Sola. I know she'd be happy that I made this cake but I'm pretty sure she's cringing at all those glorious pecans nestled in that delectable icing. While she loves chocolate, she hates nuts. Memoria stop cringing...I can see you! haha!

Mr. H is a Texas sheet cake lover. I've made it countless times for him, for his birthday and just because. I usually make the Duncan Hines version, because that's his favorite, but I've also made PW's version. I like them all but this one was different in that the cake part of the recipe calls for chocolate syrup and the frosting contains chocolate chips, not cocoa. In my opinion, it yielded a richer, sweeter , fudgey cake with a gooey frosting that my MIL kept raving about. Memoria claims she had a "food orgasm" when she ate this, and I'm pretty sure my mother in law did as well. She's already requested that I make this again and we're not even done eating this one!

If you're a Texas sheet cake lover or if you've never tried it before, this is a great recipe to start off with. I always like to add a little ground cinnamon to the frosting, but of course that's optional, as are the chopped pecans. You can add the nuts to the frosting or sprinkle them on top like I did. Doing it this way kind of reminded me of the Little Debbie brownies I used to eat as a kid. Either way you make this cake, it is sure to please. Just be sure to have a tall ice cold glass of milk nearby to accompany it. Enjoy!

Chocolate Sybil Cake from Paula Deen via Mangio da Sola

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Cake:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate syrup

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch pan.

For the cake: Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture, continuing to beat. Add vanilla and chocolate syrup to batter and mix well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Just before cake is done, prepare frosting.

For the frosting: Put butter, chocolate chips, sugar and evaporated milk and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stirring ingredients together, boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts. Pour over warm cake.