The Ultimate Chocolate Cake

This was my mother's favorite chocolate cake recipe. Growing up, I remember her sending the recipe to my Aunt Ruth. Ruth decided to make this cake for her oldest son's birthday party. She baked it in layer pans, because she invisioned a beautiful, tasty birthday cake. Mom had forgotten to tell Ruth, "this cake would fall." It has to be baked in a sheetcake type pan (cookie sheet with sides).

It is a wonderful chocolate cake and when baked on a sheetcake pan and you can take it anywhere! How about a picnic? or a tailgate party?

Note: I have baked this cake in a glass 9 x 13 baking dish. If you do, it will need to bake about 10 minutes longer or about 30 minutes all together, but it does fine.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 heaping T. cocoa
2 sticks butter, melted
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine in a mixing bowl measure, 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.


In a saucepan, melt: 2 sticks butter and add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water, stir mixture and set aside to cool. When cooled, mix with the flour, sugar mixture.


In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk. Add: 2 beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add buttermilk mixture to rest of the cake and beat for 1 minute at medium speed. Make sure all ingredients are well blended. Pour into sheet cake pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is cooking, you will need to prepare the icing.

Icing for choclate cake:

Melt 1 stick butter in a sauce pan. Add 4 tablespoons of cocoa and stir. Turn off heat. Pour into a mixing bowl and add 6 tablespoons of milk, 1 tsp. of vanilla and approximately 4 to 5 cups of powdered sugar. Beat well. You want the icing to be thick, but not too thick. If you want it a little thinner, add a small amount of additional milk. If it needs to be thicker, add a little more powdered sugar.

When cake is done, pour icing over hot cake and spread. You may add chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired. Allow to cool, before cutting. If you love chocolate, you are going to love this! Enjoy!