Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Texas Sheet Cake (Cupcakes)

Today is Texas Independence Day, so in order to celebrate I made Texas Sheet Cake style cupcakes. I decided to make this into cupcakes vs. a sheet cake just because I was sending it with Dan to his office and I wasn't sure about the plate/fork availability.

The exact history of TX Sheet Cake is rather fuzzy. The Dallas Morning News did an article regarding it this summer and one of my favorite blog entries about it is here. Over the years I have seen it in many Junior League and church bazaar cook books; it is a staple at church picnics.


The recipe is easy, fast and foolproof, however, like any baked good, the quality of ingredients is paramount to the quality of the finished product (good things in...good things out.)


You melt the cocoa with the butter (yes, there is a lot of butter in this recipe...almost a pound...or 4 sticks) to create a smooth syrup. This is where I ventured off the beaten path; I ended up putting 2 oz of cocoa powder in the bater instead of 1 oz!

I used a Dutch-Processed cocoa (basically it has been treated with an alkali to neutralize the acids) because the buttermilk provides sufficient acid, and I find that the natural cocoa can sometimes be a bit too acidic. However, use what is in your pantry.



It is important to note that when incorporating eggs into a hot liquid mixture that you be sure to temper the mixture, or make sure it that it is somewhat cool. Otherwise, when the eggs hit the hot liquid, you could scramble your eggs and end up with a hot mess!


This batter is truly lushious; it is silky smooth and will make your kitchen smell divine! I only have one 12 cup muffin pan at the moment...remember the relic "muffinaire" that my mother-in-law gave us four years ago...it is still alive and kicking. Anyhow, I covered the batter bowl with saran wrap and popped it in the fridge between batches; I ended up with 36 cupcakes total.


I used Kate's buttermilk. What makes this so special you ask? Originally buttermilk was the liquid left over from churning butter from cream. This is a simple concept, however, with industrialization it has become another food that has been bastardized (just read the back of a label the next time you are in the supermarket. Kate's is naturally low in fat due to the fact that most of the fat went into the actual butter, but do not be fooled, the result is undeniably delicious.


Texas Sheet Cake
Ever so slightly adapted from the "Cocoa Sheath Cake" from Food Near Snellville & The Pioneer Woman (I liked her 1 3/4 sticks butter idea for the frosting!)
Ingredients
CAKE:
--2 cups AP flour (10 oz)
--2 cups granulated sugar (16 oz)
--¼ teaspoons salt
--8 Tblsps. dutch-processed cocoa (2 0z)
--2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
--1 cup boiling water
--½ cups buttermilk
--2 eggs (beaten)
--1 tsp. baking soda
--1 tsp. vanilla

FROSTING:
--1 cup finely chopped pecans (you can change this to your liking)
--1-¾ sticks salted butter
--4 Tblsps. dutch-processed cocoa (1 oz)
--6 Tblsps. whole milk
--1 tsp. vanilla
--1 pound confectioners sugar (i.e. one box)

Cake Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and salt; whisk to combine these. Put on you tea kettle to boil water.

2. In a heavy bottom saucepan, melt the 2 sticks of butter. Add the cocoa; whisk smooth (like you would do for a cream gravy...you don't want lumps!)

3. Add boiling water and allow mixture to bubble for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

4. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. (You want to make sure that the mixture is not too hot, otherwise you will scramble the eggs when you add them to the batter).

5. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together; add the baking soda and vanilla.

6. Fold the buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.
7. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes rotating the pan half way through for even baking. (I used the same temp and baked the cupcakes for 20 minutes and it works out perfectly; just be sure not to overfill your muffin tin otherwise your frosting will slide off the cake if you don't have a bit of a lip. I used a small ladle Aunt B gave me and put only one scoop in...roughly 1/3 of the well.)

Frosting Directions:

1. While cake is baking, prepare the icing.

2. Toast the pecans in a dry pan--roughly 5-7 minutes (nuts can be tricky--when you start to smell them they are almost too toasty so keep an eye on them). Cool a bit & then chop finely.

3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.

4. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whisk to combine. Fold in pecans.

5. Pour over warm cake (or spoon over cupcakes)

37 comments:

  1. Patty,

    Your blog is wonderful! It is kind of like high-class baking porn... and it is making me crave one of your TX cupcakes! I love the focus you put on high-quality ingredients and the joy taken every detail of the process. Anyway, I just wanted to compliment your blog project, and I'll let you know how my TX sheet cake turns out (you have definitely inspired me)! Can I follow your blog? What do I need to do? Miss you, girl!

    Caitlin

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  2. I was looking for texas sheet cake cupcake adaptation to take to a friend and stumbled upon your blog...I just LOVE it!! I'm a Texas transplant living in Arkansas...ahhh! Anyway, can't wait to try this recipe...thanks!

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  3. Oh boy.. my favorite sheet cake.. actually we all call it "the birthday cake" recipe. Have made it since 1971 when my first daughter was born. Thank you for sharing the cupcake version.

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  4. Texas transplant living in Tennessee. Taking these tonight to a party! YUM.

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  5. I made Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes last year. So, good. What I'm noticing is that your recipe does not include cinnamon. I can't even imagine it without the cinnamon!!!

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    1. I noticed that also.

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    2. Yum! Great addition (I also add espresso powder to the batter and icing on occasion). This is just the standard "Junior League" recipe of old...it's just asking to be tweaked!

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    3. How much cinnamon do you use. I would like to try it with it.

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  6. My family calls this "Moth Ball Cake" named for my husband's aunt whose version of this always smelled of mothballs and even had that "twang" in the taste. The rest of us have made it for years without the added taste and smell. Our houses don't reek of moth balls!

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    1. Hahahaha yikes!! I had an aunt like that growing up too! I gave her cedar/lavender balls one christmas after I learned about the terrible chemicals in those things in High School.

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  7. My MIL introduced my family to this amazing recipe and it quickly be came a family favorite on my side. Our recipe calls for a cup of strong coffee in exchange for your cup of water and it makes a huge difference! It is barely noticeable as a coffee flavor but it makes the chocolate flavor deeper and richer. Hopefully you can bring yourself to try it my way and see what you think. I love the idea of this as cupcakes!

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    1. I totally agree! Williams Sonoma carries this wonderful super fine ground espresso powder that is wonderful that I add to this recipe, and darn near any chocolate recipe I have.

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  8. Can you post how many cupcakes this yields? I just made 24 from the recipe, since that's what most cake recipes make. I didn't think I filled them too full, but there is no way I could pour the icing on them without making a huge mess. I pulled a MacGuyver and used my apple corer to remove the middle and poured the icing inside the hole. Ha! They are delicious! I added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake and the icing, too. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I ended up with 36; sorry, I'll add that down in the recipe part; it is in the dialogue but I tend to be wordy so it's hard to find :). I filled them slightly less than I would a normal cupcake because you need a lip on the edge of the muffin cup to corral the frosting (as you found out the hard way--great idea with the hole though!)

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  9. My icing was never thin enough to pour over the cake. It was crumbly. What did I do wrong?

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    1. oooo, crumbly, yikes! Okay, you may have overcooked the butter and created too thick of a paste with the cocoa powder, it just needs to be melted. If you have that problem again, no worries just add more milk until it reaches a pourable consistency. In the next few days I'll make the frosting here and test my theory.

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  10. My children called this the "funeral cake." I always made the sheet cake to take to someone's house after a death. They would come home from school, see the sheet cake, and ask, "Who died?"

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  11. @Anonymous Try adding more milk til you get to the right consistency.

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    1. whoops, just saw this! right on regarding the milk!

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  12. I was checking out the recipe for Texas Sheet Cake cupcakes. We have made this recipe for years but what caught my interest was your mention of a Muffinaire cupcake pan. The company that I worked for made those many years ago and they truly are antiques. They are highly collectible by the people who have a connection to UAP. There was/is a whole line of bakeware that was made in Dayton, Ohio.

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    1. I truly LOVE that pan...LOVE! I really hate the new pans because they are a beast to clean with how they are made. I worked for a cupcake shop once and cleaning those pans...awful! Thank you for sharing your story; I like that pan more now that I can picture the folks behind making it.

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  13. Hi - I'm Texas-born but live nearby in Louisiana now. Am taking these to a July 4th Fishfry-reunion, in Texas, that's been going on in my Mom's family for over 60 years. Thanks - know they'll be delicious!

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    1. I'm originally from deep East Texas, about an hour from the Louisiana border. Living in NY I miss Louisiana crawfish (among other things...my roommate in college was from Lafayette and her parents brought many goodies to us when they visited!) I hope that they were a hit!

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    2. I'm at Texas transplant, too. From Longview to Shreveport (not my choice). I have made Texas Sheet Cakes for many years. Excited to see this recipe for cupcakes. Never thought about trying them. I love sheet cakes. I have been trying a lot of different ones. My favorite is the Praline Caramel one from Chefintraining.com.

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  14. This is nearly identical to the cake my grandmother made for me when I was small, and I'm a grandmother now and it's my grandkids favorite cake. She (and now I) never used cinnamon in the recipe either.

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  15. I have this recipe from my grandmother it is so old and on her original index card. I need to drink a gallon of milk when I eat a piece of this cake so maybe the cupcakes would be easier to eat!!

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  16. Found your recipe via pinterest and I'm so glad I did. Everyone loved them. I will definitely be making them again and again.

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  17. ok these look like minitures are they?

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  18. One of my best cakes! My husband calls it the 10 lb cake
    It is heavy after icing! Lol! This recipe has been passed down from one of my favorite great aunts. We never have used cinnamon either. She is gone now but think of her everytime i make this cake.

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  19. Everyone loves this cake. It's so simple and easy to make. I put in a large heaping of peanut butter to the icing just after I add the milk.

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  20. A traditional "must-have" cake at nearly every family gathering. Instead of buttermilk, my recipe (the one that had been passed down since my grandmother-in-law was newly married..........around 1928????) We use 1/2 tspn cider vinegar to 1cup regular milk in leiu of buttermilk.... and yes....notorious for having the icing run over the sides of the pan.....it is also tradition that the family stands by salivating... waiting to 'clean up' the overfow with a good ol fashion finger swipe or two!!!

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  21. Pat This is almost my "secret" recipe that I take everywhere. Have never had a complaint in over 30 yrs. All the other texas cake recipes have things that change that flavor that everyone talks about. I love your narrative and certainly learned a few ways to improve my instructions. I use buttermilk in my frosting instead of milk..Makes it a little less "sweet". Never thought to look at the label on buttermilk..now I have to find some real stuff. Maggie

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  22. I am definitely making these very soon! I just started making sheet cakes (I've made one so far) but have never made the chocolate one. The one I made was pecan caramel sheet cake. It was delicious, and easy. Now I'm hooked on these sheet cakes! Looks delicious!

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  23. oh, yum! It looks so tasty and moist. Definitely going to have to try this one of these days!

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