Texas Sheet Cake

Cake: 
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup butter
4 Tb unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk (can substitute sour milk*)
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 cup water

Grease 15x10x1 inch or jelly roll pan or a 13x9x2 inch baking pan; set aside.  Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl – except for the baking soda. In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa and water. Bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat.  Stir the baking soda into the buttermilk. Then pour the hot cocoa liquid into dry ingredients. Beat with electric hand-held mixer on medium speed, and beat together until thoroughly blended. Pour the buttermilk and baking soda mix into the dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat together until thoroughly blended.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a 350° oven about 25 minutes for the 15x10x1 inch pan or 35 minutes for the 13x9 inch pan or until wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Pour warm chocolate frosting over the warm cake, spreading evenly. Place cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly before cutting.

Frosting:
½ cup butter
3 Tb cocoa
6 Tb buttermilk*
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa, and buttermilk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add sifted powdered sugar and  vanilla. Beat until smooth. If desired, stir in pecans.

Makes 24 servings.

*Make sour milk by adding 1/2 tsp vinegar to 1/2 c milk and let sit 5 mins.

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