Momma Simpkin’s
Gourmet Texas Sheet Cake
I remember so clearly the night that Miss Annie Simpkins came in to join the Girls Knit Out one Friday evening. She had made her momma’s prize-winning Gourmet Texas Sheet Cake as a thank you for her first trip out to Slipknot. She was a nervous little thing and just rambled on and on. Now, Annie is one of the gang, always present and a part of Spring Forrest. We sure wish she would bring us another one of those cakes!
Did I mention, Annie has the Blue Ribbon she won that year at the fair!
Cake:
2 cups flour 2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature ½ tsp salt
½ cup sour cream or buttermilk 1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla 2 sticks butter
1 cup water 4 Tbsp very good cocoa
2 tsp. instant coffee ½ c. seedless raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously grease a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan and set aside.
Combine flour, sugar, eggs, salt, sour cream, baking soda, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. Set aside.
In a saucepan, melt butter, cocoa, instant coffee, and water to combine. Bring to a boil, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix well.
Pour batter into greased pan, smoothing out evenly.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes.
Remove from oven when a toothpick comes out clean, let rest 5 minutes and immediately brush with Seedless Raspberry Jam that has been stirred vigorously with a spoon to thin.
Fudge Icing:
1 stick butter 4 Tbsp very good cocoa
6 Tbsp milk 1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp instant coffee
Heat butter, cocoa, instant coffee, and milk in a heavy saucepan.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
Spread immediately on hot cake.
When completely cool, pipe caramel or melted chocolate in lattice design or drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and give a slight dusting of cracked sea salt to knock some of the sweetness if desired.
