Every year our local Healthcare Foundation has a ‘Chocolate Ball’ for a fundraiser. Entries of favorite chocolate recipes are judged and then served for dessert at the formal affair. I have entered (and won 1st place 4 times, and 2nd place once) on a regular basis as it is for a good cause. This was my gourmet version of a Texas Sheet Cake. I imagine it would be like the one Annie’s mom would enter in the fair.
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
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 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 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. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread immediately on hot cake.
If desired, drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and a scant sprinkling of sea salt to cut the sweetness.
