Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is the Pioneer Woman Sheet Cake recipe. Also known as Texas Sheet Cake, this cake is easy to make, satisfying and certainly a crowd pleaser. While we don't agree with the icing that comes together with the recipe, we couldn't get enough of the cake.

I made mine using half of the ingredients and without the chocolate sauce, and the cake is good enough to be eaten on its own. The ice cream nicely complements, but completely unnecessary.

Recipe for Chocolate Sheet Cake (halved)
Recipe credits: thepioneerwoman.com
Combine in a mixing bowl:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
115 grams butter
Add 2 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1/2 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/4 cup buttermilk (or substitute with almost 1/4 cup milk topped with vinegar, and let it stand for a minute).
Add:
1 beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.
Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350F/180C for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/4 cup pecans finely.
Melt 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 2 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 lb minus 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Stir together.
Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.