Friday, April 13, 2012

Chocolate Cake + Middlest's Birthday

Well, turns out ol' number 89 wasn't our lucky number. We didn't win the chocolate extravaganza from the boulangerie but a nice man did and they took his photo with it and I'm sure he and his family had a wonderful time feasting on chocolate over the long Easter weekend.

{9x13 pan version, iced}

What is lucky, however, is that this past week my Middlest turned eight. And for his trouble I made him our favorite family birthday, rainy day, summer day, welcome home, i love you, chocolate cake. It's known at home as Texas Sheet Cake 'cause it's a big rectangular sheet of chocolatey goodness.

{baking tray version}

My Grandmother used to make it all the time. I remember sitting at the round table in her kitchen as she melted butter and cocoa, stirring with a wooden spoon. I'd get as close as I could when she mixed wet and dry ingredients so I could get a nose full of the heavenly smell--chocolatey butter mixing with the sugar and flour. Every time I make it I stick my nose real close and it takes me back. My kids all love this part too and we breathe in the deliciousness together.


{i wish it was scratch and sniff, you'd be so happy!}

I think she must have known the recipe by heart because it wasn't in her recipe collection that I was given when I got married, nor did anyone else ever remember seeing it written down anywhere. I looked and looked for it until one day P-Daddy's mom made us what she called 'brownies'. It was the cake I'd always had as a kid, the secret ingredient--buttermilk. And a whole lotta sugar. Thanks Belle-Mere.

{yum!}

Since then, I've memorized it like my Grandmother, but I've also written it down on two blue post-it notes. The Homesick Texan cookbook also has the basic Texas Sheet Cake recipe that comes pretty close, only omit the baking soda, cinnamon and pecans and use buttermilk for the icing instead of whole milk.

Every time I make it P-Daddy and the kids say it's the best one yet.
It's all about the love.

{helloooooo}

Now to the important part, da, da, da, dum! Happy Birthday Middlest!
Here are eight things I love about my first son.

1. Last week after his football match he shared his chocolate gouter with P-Daddy, offering him the first bite.
2. He loves to make people laugh.
3. He has the coolest hair and the raspiest voice.
4. When he gets a lot of presents he takes time going over each of them, playing, learning and figuring them out in turn.
5. He loves pâté, bleu cheese, terrines, calamari, oysters, mussels, you name it and he'll try anything once.
6. The other day he told me, 'There's no other girl like you'.
7. He's a night owl and a late riser, just like his mommy.
and
8. On his door hangs a homemade sign that says, 'No Aliens or Girls Allowed, except for Mommy and Sara'. Which one are we?!

Texas Sheet Cake

200C/400F

Grease a 9x13 inch pan OR lay parchment paper onto a baking tray, depending on if you want a thicker cake or not. I've made it both ways and the icing makes up for any thinness if you go for the baking tray.

To Make the Cake:

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter
4 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 cup water
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Sift the flour and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add in cocoa powder and water. Stir and bring just to the boil.

Call everyone close for this part.
Pour the buttery chocolate over the sugar and flour. Seriously. You've got to stick your nose in there!

Mix together until blended. Add in the eggs, lightly beaten, plus the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well.

Pour into either the prepared 9x13 pan or the parchment lined baking tray.

Put in the hot oven for 30 minutes BUT check it at 20 minutes for doneness. If a toothpick in the middle comes out clean, you're done. If not, give it 10 more minutes, checking after 5. You don't want to overcook it.

Remove from the oven and pour on the sugar, I mean icing.

To Make the Icing:

1/2 cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter
4 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
6 tablespoons buttermilk
1 box or 1 pound/ 16 oz. of powdered sugar

Melt the butter in the same cleaned out heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add in the cocoa powder and the buttermilk. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add in the powdered sugar.
Stir well and fast until smooth.

Pour this over the still warm cake and get ready to be crowned 'a girl like no other'.





21 comments:

  1. Oooo, yum, my Mom always made Texas Sheet Cake, too, and she was from Michigan. Happy BD to Middlest!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Texas Sheet Cake is famous all the way to Michigan! That makes me happy. Thank you for the birthday wishes Mem.
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  2. Miam! Miam! Did you show all that chocolate goodness to Monsieur le Boulanger, Aidan? He would be impressed and might ask you to bake a few for his "regulars!" I would have bought it!!! ;-) Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't! But that's a great idea. I can show him how to make it when we go back in a couple of weeks. Wouldn't that be perfect? Aidan xo

      Delete
  3. You are a good-sport about not winning the chocolate! The cake looks delicious! Happy B-day to your middle-garcon! What a sweetie!

    xx!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wasn't too disappointed Cat but the kids were! Try making the cake. Your guys would love it. Thanks for the birthday wishes.
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  4. Happy Birthday Middlest. I'll help celebrate by eating the rest of my carrot cake. It's not chocolate but it will have to do! My youngest (age 24) said to me on his birthday this year "geez, mom. I didn't do anything to be born but you sure did. You should get the party!" So Happy Middlest Birthing Day to you, Aidan. Bisous

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds like something my Middlest will say when he gets older and figures it out. He was the easiest one though. It's that Littlest that owes me for that day!
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  5. Thank you for sharing the recipe - I have not been able to whip up a similar cake and this sounds JUST like what I have been looking for!!

    Bon Anniversaire, Middlest!!

    And mad props for loving: "bleu cheese, terrines, calamari, oysters, mussels" - sans pate pour moi, merci.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh good! You'll have to let me know if you like it as much as we do. And thanks for the birthday wishes. My kids love their bday blog for this reason.
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  6. Wah!!! I nearly shouted out loud "Texas Sheet Cake!" when I saw the first photo. It was THE birthday cake de rigeur in my family and yes, that smell--I swear it was right there in front of me while reading this post. For that, I thank you dearly. Aaaand a Happy Birthday to Middlest!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's so nice, Heather. I love it! I knew I couldn't be the only one who loved that part.
      Thank you for the birthday wishes.
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  7. I love that cake! A little taste of home. And #6 just melted my heart. Happy Birthday to the little charmer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Selena, he is definitely that! He will go far.
      And you are welcome for the cake. I hope you make it and love it.
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  8. Ooooooo! Super Yummy! And a Happy Birthday to your Middlest. :) I adore sheet cake. My Mum and Gran used to make chocolate for me with peanut butter frosting. Love love love it still. I never wanted a round birthday cake. I always asked for the 'rectangle kind'. And you are right. The smell is absolutely divine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my P-Daddy would go crazy for the peanut butter. Sadly, we can only buy the smallest jar here and it's nearly 5 euro! It's a precious commodity around these parts.
      Thank you for commenting and reading. Happy weekend to you!
      Aidan xo

      Delete
  9. Please wish your middlest a very Happy Birthday from Sarina & Shreya from England who spent a lovely morning with you last summer eating pastries and being entertained by you! Funny we were talking about Montpellier yesterday when we were trying to go to the park for the last day of the Easter Holidays and it kept pouring with rain. Sarina suddenly said 'It's a shame we can't go to Acrochats!'. Seemed like an extreme solution but at that point I was about ready to hop on a plane! On days like that we still miss the fountains of Antigone and Estivales!
    Monica x

    ReplyDelete
  10. The cake looks so yummy! I always love it when kids are adventuresome diners and willing to try anything at least once. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well you're not a girl any more so I guess that leaves the other option?? Happy Birthday to your sweetheart Middlest - I'm sure he had THE best day with an awesome mommy like you and that amazing cake!

    ReplyDelete
  12. No he didn't hang that sign on his door??!! I teared up! I actually teared up! That little raspy voiced monkey made me go all misty. Give him a big ol' squeeze for me OOO

    ReplyDelete
  13. The cake looks so good and I am dying for some real American cake even though I do love the pastries here. I think I must have tried to sniff my computer screen a few times while looking at it. Congrats to your son on making it all the way to the big 8. He sounds like a wonderful kid. Your very lucky :)
    Ashley (backyardprovence)

    ReplyDelete

It makes my day to read your comments. They're an answer to my floating words in blogland.