Easy Frosted Chocolate Sheet Cake

Serves 24.

CAKE:

2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 oz Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate
2 sticks Unsalted Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
1/2 cup Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla

FROSTING:
1 1/2 stick Butter
2 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa

2 oz Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

Pinch of Salt

DECORATION:

1 1/4 cup Whole, Toasted Pecans or Sliced Strawberries, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 18 x13 rimmed baking sheet and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat water, butter, and bakers chocolate until butter and chocolate are melted (stirring the mixture occasionally). 

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.  Then add warm liquid of water, butter, and melted chocolate.

In a liquid measuring cup, measure buttermilk, add eggs, baking soda, and vanilla, and beat vigorously with a fork. Then mix into the batter.

Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.  Then flip cake out onto a large rectangular board or platter lined with parchment paper, if desired.

While cake is baking, make the icing.  In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter and bakers chocolate, stirring frequently. Add the cocoa, milk, and powdered sugar and whisk vigorously until smooth.  Pour into the center of the warm cake and carefully spread to just inside the edge of the cake (the cake will have a nicer presentation if the frosting does not spill over the sides).  While still warm, press pecans or strawberries into place (I like to make them into a design - on the 4th of July, I make a US flag out of the pecans; on Valentine's, you can make a heart design with strawberries, etc.).

Cut into large squares just before serving.

Substitute Flax Egg, Coconut Oil (for butter) and Nut Milk of choice to make vegan.