Chocolate Sheet Cake with Fudge Icing.

This is a staple of most Southern cookbooks, and for good reason. It is hard to find a better chocolate cake anywhere. I can have this cake made in 45 minutes, start to finish.

Chocolate Sheet Cake with Fudge Icing

Combine the following three ingredients in a large mixing bowl:
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Bring the following three ingredients to a boil:
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 stick butter

When above boils, add 3 tablespoons baking cocoa, stirring well after each

While waiting on the above to boil, mix together 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Beat two eggs, then add to buttermilk mixture; beat together well. Add cocoa mixture to dry ingredients and stir well, then stir in buttermilk mixture. Stir in 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Pour mixture into ungreased 11”X15” (jelly roll) pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes. Check every two minutes after 18 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean in several spots on the cake, remove and cover with icing WHILE STILL HOT.

ICING:
While cake is baking: In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 pound (1 box) of powdered sugar and 3-4 tablespoons of cocoa until cocoa is fully incorporated. Heat over very low heat 1 stick of butter and 6 tablespoons of evaporated milk until butter melts. Stir butter mixture into sugar mixture. Add 1 cup of chopped pecans (or walnuts) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir together well and keep warm until cake comes out of oven.