My grandmother, Ma (as we called her), was a fantastic cook. However, I’ve noticed that almost all of her recipes call for at least one whole stick of butter…if not two, or three, or four! Gotta love good southern cooking! For health reasons, I don’t make her recipes on a daily basis. But, there’s nothing better than bringing out a good one for a special occasion.
Her sheet cake was by far her favorite cake to take to friend’s houses and any sort of get together. Nothing reminds me more of her than this cake. So, when we got an invitation to a BBQ, I knew exactly what to make.
Butter anyone?! Or how about a little bit of sugar? Really though…it’s fabulous!
I tried to take pictures along the way, but sometimes that’s impossible when cooking with a toddler! So, I did my best. Ok, let’s get to it.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flour, salt and sugar in a small bowl.
Put butter, cocoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour over sugar and flour mixture. Add eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until smooth. Pour into greased sheet cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Start icing 5 minutes before cake is done. If you’re cooking with a toddler, start earlier. We needed close to 10 minutes.
Combine butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. We made a mistake and accidently added the pecans a bit too early. It didn’t seem to matter though!
Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar, pecans, and vanilla. Pour over hot cake.
As you can see, this cake requires the use of a stovetop. I did not allow J to stir over the hot stove, but I did allow him to watch me do it. You know your child, so use your best judgment!
It is seriously a fantastic cake and was a hit at the BBQ! What favorite family recipes do you make with your children?
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