"Denver" Chocolate Sheet Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...No, despite what you think, this is not a Texas sheet cake. It's a Denver chocolate sheet cake and the recipe for it first appeared in a Denver Junior League Cookbook. I found the recipe in The New York Times. In all fairness, no one is sure how Texas sheet cake got its name or where it originated. The issue is further confused because the cake is also known as buttermilk brownies, brownie sheet cake, chocolate brownie cake, chocolate sheet brownies, Mexican chocolate cake, Texas brownie cake, Texas cake, Texas sheath cake, and “plain old” chocolate sheet cake. I suspect Denver chocolate sheet cake could also be added to that list, though it has greater height than the Texas version. What all these cakes have in common, is the use of buttermilk and a frosting that contains nuts. The true Texas version is baked in a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and makes a large cake that is barely an inch high. Its Denver cousin is higher by an inch. These cakes are all easy to make and are great to make when you have a crowd to feed. In the recipe below, you will see that the amount of cocoa is given as a range. The 1/4 cup version will produce a mildly flavored milk chocolate type cake. I doubled that amount for both the cake and frosting you see in the photos that accompany tonight's recipe. This recipe makes a moist sweet cake that I know you will enjoy. Here is how it's made.

Crowd Pleasing Texas-Style Sheet Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The original Texas sheet cake first appeared in the late 1950's. That cake, save for its shape, was much like a German chocolate cake that was baked in a rectangular form, rather than in layers. Since then, liberties have been taken with the original recipe and, to the dismay of purists, any cake that is larger than 9 x 13-inches can be called a Texas sheet cake. I needed a large cake for this weekend, and I thought this would be a perfect time to test a recipe for a sheet cake I found, here, on the King Arthur website. I'm really glad I gave this recipe a try. It is a down-home, family type of confection and it was just what I needed for this weekend. I made and froze the cake, sans icing, earlier in the week, and several hours before I planned to serve it, I brought the cake to room temperature and frosted it. I'm always leery about freezing cakes with chocolate icing because, in my experience, the chocolate clouds and I don't like the way that looks. This is a nice cake and I think those of you who do large scale entertaining might want to try this recipe for your next gathering. It would be perfect for Memorial Day or the 4th of July. Here is how the cake is made.

An Easy Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Despite practicing polite refusals for most of the summer, I let my guard down, just for a moment mind you, and said "yes" to a request for cakes for a large holiday picnic. That would not have been so bad, but it also happens the picnic was scheduled for the same day I was having company of my own. Sheet cakes and freezers proved to be my salvation. Starting mid-week, I began my version of a baking marathon and by week's end I had made two Texas sheet cakes and four of the lemon buttermilk cakes I want to share with you today. I really think the lemon lovers among you are in for a treat. This is a wonderfully moist cake that has a rather remarkable sugar crust that sets it apart from other cakes of its type. It also happens to be remarkably easy to make. The recipe was developed for Cook's Country magazine and it is simple to follow, but I want to stress how important it is to use fresh lemon juice if you decide to make it. No substitutes, please. The cake, covered with plastic wrap, keeps well at room temperature for a day or two, but I don't think you'll have any problem with leftovers. If you are still looking for a holiday cake, why not give this treasure a try? It would be a wonderful way to end a barbecue. Here is how the cake is made.