Chocolate Friday – Updated Texas

Updated Texas you ask?  Yes, this is a new spin on an old favorite, at least at my house!  I’ve been enjoying this cake since I was a kid.  Recently my Mom viewed a show by Cooks Illustrated called Cook’s Country American’s Test Kitchen.  They were revamping Texas Sheet Cake and she was curious what they would do to a cake that all ready gets rave reviews.

Surprisingly they had a few changes to the mix.  They swapped out butter for the margarine, added more chocolate to the cake mix with chocolate chips, replaced the milk in the icing with heavy cream, and added some corn syrup to the icing so it would shine along with some other minor adjustments.  The changes made the cake much denser – a fudge almost brownie like cake.  I also thought the frosting had a richer chocolate taste to it.

If you’re looking to update your recipe, I would definitely suggest this one.  Although to be sure it meets the standard maybe I should be a side by side comparison with the old recipe.  Don’t you think?

Texas Sheet Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate , chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Chocolate Icing
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted pecans , chopped

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.

2. Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water, and cocoa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. Whisk egg mixture into batter, then pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.

3. For the icing: About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temperature on wire rack, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until icing is set, about 1 hour longer. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cut into 3-inch squares. Serve.

Have you made something chocolate lately that you would like to share?  Add your link in the comments and I’ll move up here!

From bluecottonmemory:  Pain au Chocolat

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