In honor of National Chocolate Cake Day (yes, it really exists!), we are presenting some of our favorite chocolate cake recipes, as well as a book about the connections between Jews and chocolate.
The first recipe, commonly called “Texas Sheet Cake,” is great to have on hand. It is easy, foolproof, and makes A LOT of delicious, moist cake. We are guessing that is why it’s called “Texas Sheet Cake” – everything is bigger down there! Perfect for birthdays, potlucks, anytime you need to feed a crowd something chocolate and yummy.
There are also several ways you can tweak the recipe depending on your tastes, which we’ve noted.
Texas Sheet Cake
Adapted from About.com
Ingredients:
For the Cake
1 cup butter
1 cup water (you can also use 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup coffee)
1/4 cup cocoa (use the best quality you can find, it makes a difference!)
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon if desired
For the Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 lb confectioners’ sugar, sifted (4 1/4 cups sifted)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.
2. Combine 1 cup butter, water (or water and coffee mixture), and 1/4 cup cocoa in saucepan over medium heat.
3. When butter is melted, add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, soda, sour cream or buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix well. If you’d like a bit of spice, add your cinnamon now.
4. Pour mixture into jelly roll pan.
5. Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Combine 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of cocoa, and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Remove from heat. Add the confectioners’ sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and mix well with electric mixer. The frosting should be somewhat runny, not too thick.
8. Poke holes over top of cake with a toothpick so frosting can seep in the cake. Pour the frosting over the cake and spread as necessary. Some people also like to stir about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans into the frosting mixture.
9. Enjoy!
Here is a roundup of various chocolate cake recipes that we also like for different occasions. There is a dairy-free cake to serve after meat meals on Shabbat, a flourless cake for Passover, and a quick, easy mug cake for anytime!
If you are looking for a dairy-free chocolate cake recipe for Shabbat, this Friday Night Double Fudge Chocolate Cake from King Arthur Flour is both butter and milk-free.
Here is a great Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe from Real Simple that is perfect for Passover and looks beautiful.
And if you need your chocolate fix RIGHT NOW, here is a great Two-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake recipe.
Interested in learning more about the history of Jews and chocolate? Check out On the Chocolate Trail: A Delicious Adventure Connecting Jews, Religions, History, Travel, Rituals and Recipes to the Magic of Cacao
Yum!
