Chocolate Sheet Cake

Our kids ask for this as their birthday cake every year! It's a very simple yet delicious recipe that you will want to make over and over.

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter
3-4 TBSP cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Mix together flour and sugar in mixing bowl. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, melt butter. Add water and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Add to flour mixture and mix well.
Add buttermilk (or regular milk soured with vinegar), baking soda, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.

Pour into greased 9X13 cookie pan or baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Make icing while cake is cooking as it will need to be poured over HOT cake.

ICING:

1 stick butter
3 TBSP milk
3-4 TBSP cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional) You can sprinkle these on top or mix in the icing... either way is delicious!

Measure powdered sugar into mixing bowl. Set aside. Melt butter, mix in milk and cocoa. Add to sugar and mix well. Add vanilla and pecans. (OR ice cake and sprinkle nuts on top!) Mix well. Pour over HOT cake. Icing should be a bit runny. It will set up as it cools.