Chocolate-Buttermilk Sheet Cake Recipe

WW: this cakes serves 18 and each piece is 6 points.

On the mommies stroller walk this morning a couple of the ladies asked for this recipe. It's so good and I don't really like chocolate.

I'm sure a few of you just did a double take...yep, it's true. I can live without chocolate.

Anyways...this recipe is from my new, ok it's a hand-me-down, better homes and gardens cookbook. Thanks, Kurly, for giving it to me. (Like I was really going to give it back) :-)

"Known to some as Texas Sheet cake, this rich dessert often is served as brownies." - Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk (see tip below)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 recipe chocolate-buttermilk frosting (below)

Note: I use sour milk mainly because my hubby is lactose intolerant. So I've used goats milk to make the sour milk. I've also used soy milk and it works fine too.


1. Grease a 15x10x1-inch or 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder, and 1 cup of WATER. Bring mixture just to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add the cocoa mixture to flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin). Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 25 minutes for the 15x10x1-inch pan, 35 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
4. Pour warm chocolate-buttermilk frosting over the warm cake, spreading evenly. Place cake, still in the pan, on a wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-BUTTERMILK FROSTING RECIPE:
In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup butter, 3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder, and 3 TBSP buttermilk (or sour milk). Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Add 2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth. If desired, stir in 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans.

MAKING SOUR MILK: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, or just want to cut down on calories and fat, substitute sour milk in the same amount. For each cup of sour milk needed, place 1 TBSP lemon juice in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup total liquid; stir. Let stand for 5 minutes before using.