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Chocolate Sheet Cake (or Texas Ranch Cake)
Ingredients
Cake
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup butter or margarine
  • 4 Tbsp cocoa
  • 3/4 cup sour milk (see note below)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Frosting
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 6 Tbsp milk (rest of cup not used in cake)
  • 4 Tbsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 lb powdered sugar (1 box)
Instructions
Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and grease and flour a sheet cake pan.

  2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bow.

  3. In medium sauce pan, bring water, butter and cocoa to a boil.

  4. Pour cocoa mixture over dry ingredients and mix. Should make a thick paste.

  5. Add sour milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.

  6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

  7. Remove from oven and frost while warm.

Frosting

  1. Place butter, milk, and cocoa in a medium sauce pan and boil slightly.

  2. Pour into small mixing bowl. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix well.

  3. Frost cake while still warm. (Can top with chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips or sprinkles while freshly frosted, if desired.)

Recipe Notes

*Sour Milk: Start with 1 cup of milk and add 1 Tbsp of either lemon juice or vinegar. Use 3/4 cup of the mixture for the cake and the rest for the frosting.

This is a classic! This version is the one Grandma Free wrote in Dad’s mission cook book.