Texas Sheet Cake (Aunt Niece's)

UPDATED 2020

As a child, I first saw Texas Sheet Cake being made at my Aunt Neice's house in Pennsylvania, not in Texas where I grew up.  I thought it was funny that she was making something Texan, and assumed that it was called Texas Sheet Cake because it was a really big cake, as all things Texan are. It is made in a large flat jelly roll pan.  During one visit, I copied down the recipe, shown above.

I did a little research to find out the origin of Texas Sheet Cake.

In Cooking Texas Style, the recipe was the same except it was called Chocolate Sheet Cake.  And they added a teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Most everyone I have asked has heard of Texas Sheet Cake, even the addition of cinnamon, which was new to me.  It seems to have been a standard at family picnics and events when you need to feed a lot of people, including kids.

Here's my aunt's way of making it.  I love the way the way the recipe is written in groups.  

---Barbara

Texas Sheet Cake
from Aunt Neice

Group I:
2 cups flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda

Group II - bring to boil:
2 sticks oleo  (do people still use the word oleo?  use 1 cup unsalted butter instead)
1 c. water
4 T. cocoa

Group III - in small bowl, beat
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream or sour milk or buttermilk
1 t. vanilla

Add group 2 to group 1.  Then add group 3.  Pour into a greased cookie.  350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Icing
Bring to a boil,
1 stick oleo (1/2 cup unsalted butter)
4 T. cocoa
6 T. milk
then add 1 box powdered sugar and 1 t. vanilla.
Spread on cake while hot.  Sprinkle with nuts.

B