I was munching on the cake while typing up this entry. You can see my fork in the background! Like most of the internet, I fell in love with Ree Drummond, aka "The Pioneer Woman," several years ago. Her blog is gorgeous! Honestly, if you've never visited you need to. Like right now. Go on, I'll wait.
Anyway, two years ago she posted a recipe for "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever." At the time, I wanted to make the recipe gluten-free. Somehow life intervened and I never got around to doing it.
Well, Ree's new gluten-filled cookbook was just released. To celebrate, I sat down a few weeks ago and converted the recipe. I'll admit, I was curious. Calling a cake "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever" sets the bar pretty high. And I love chocolate cake – why do you think there is a chocolate cake slice on the cover of my cookbook? I am a woman who really loves chocolate cake!
I have to say, this recipe lived up to its name. Between the cake and the icing, the recipe uses almost one pound of butter; so, you know it is going to be good. Every person I handed a slice to tipped back their head and moaned with pleasure upon taking a bite. (Okay, maybe they didn't do that exactly but I knew they wanted to. The cake is that good!) A cross between a brownie and rich chocolate cake, this recipe is a winner. Plus, you'd never know the converted recipe is gluten-free. The texture is smooth and silky. I don't even think Ree would be able to tell the difference between her version and my gluten-free version.
The cake is big. In fact, you might know this recipe as "Texas Sheet Cake." If you are hosting a party, this is the cake to make. Everyone will swoon with joy and, I promise, your party will be a hit. And if you aren't hosting a party? Make the cake anyway! It freezes nicely, icing and all!
Best
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
For the Cake
Dry Ingredients
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12x18x1 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to low and allow mixture to cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in boiling water and cook for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 seconds.
- Pour mixture over dry ingredients. Stir to combine. (You can use a balloon whisk for this.) Blend until smooth.
- Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until a batter forms.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch.
- Remove cake from the oven.
- Prepare icing. (Recipe below.)
- Pour icing over the warm cake.
- Serve warm or cool.
For the Icing
Baker's note: Ree's recipe contains 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans. I am deathly allergic to nuts. So, I've omitted them. If nuts don't kill you, add them! Simply stir the nuts into the icing right before pouring it over the cake.
1 1/2 stick butter
5 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the cocoa powder. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Using a whisk, mix until smooth and shiny. (If you are using nuts, add them now.)
- Pour evenly over warm cake.
