I don't like cake. I've eaten it, but I don't care for it. Well, let's just say it's not my favorite and this probably sounds strange given the fact my mom was a huge cake maker back in her day. She did it for extra money for a number of years and had a good following, but she was a nervous wreck every time she made them. Maybe I never appreciated the cake for fear of being in the kitchen. I can't be sure of when my anti cake status began, but I can say I was always there to lick the frosting spoon. I'm the perfect match for cake lovers who don't like icing!
My grandmother used to make a cake called Cookie Sheet Cake, otherwise known as Texas Sheet Cake. Nothing new to anyone I am sure, but it was the one cake I would eat because the ratio of icing to cake was like two to one and it was all chocolate. My kind of cake! The icing would create this crusty sugar texture on it and for a kid that couldn't get enough sweets, this one worked quite well for me.
I have two favorite memories of Christmas gifts from my grandmother. She was a very proud woman and couldn't afford much due to her limited income, but she was always determined to give every grandchild a gift at Christmas. One favorite, that I still have in my home today is a youth chair passed on down through her family for generations and given to the oldest male child. For whatever reason, she gave that chair to me and it is one of my most precious possessions to this day. My other favorite? The year she gave me a cookie sheet and the recipe to Cookie Sheet Cake.I could never make it like hers, but the fact that she thought enough to share it with me, made it that much more special. She gave of herself and you can never go wrong with that.
So for all of you, here is something of myself. For the Fourth Day of Christmas I gift to you...
COOKIE SHEET CAKE (aka Texas Sheet Cake)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 pound butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup canned(evaporated)milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar and salt and set aside
Mix water, oil, cocoa and butter together in a saucepan, bringing it to a boil. Add into your flour mixture.
Beat together eggs, soda, milk and vanilla and add to above mixture.
Pour onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Frosting
1/4 lb butter or margarine
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons canned (evaporated)
milk
Mix in a saucepan until butter melts. Add one box of confectioners sugar and beat. Add 3 cups of chopped walnuts (you can omit if preferred). Frost cake while hot.
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