Chocolate Sheet Cake

Make the icing five minutes before taking the cake out of the oven.  Perfect to make for a group.

Ingredients:
2 c sugar
2 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t salt
½ c butter or margarine
½ c shortening
¼ c unsweetened coca
1 c water
½ c buttermilk (or 1/2 T white vinegar plus enough milk to make 1/2 cup, let sit for 5 minutes)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 t vanilla extract
Chocolate Icing
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Sift together first 5 ingredients in a large bowel.
2. Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or just until butter and shortening melt. Remove from heat and pour over sugar mixture, stirring until dissolved. Cool slightly.
3. Stir in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into a greased and lightly floured 15x10 inch jelly-roll pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. (Cake will have a fudge-like texture.)
5. Spread Chocolate Icing over hot cake.
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desire.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Chocolate Icing:
½ c butter or margarine
¼ c unsweetened cocoa
6 T milk
16 oz package powered sugar (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 t vanilla extract
1 c chopped pecans, toasted

1. Combine butter, coca, and milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until butter melts. Cook over medium heat until bubbles appear on the surface. (It will not come to a rolling boil). Remove from heat; gradually stir in sugar and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in pecans. Makes about 4 cups.

*This had very good flavor.  Instead of serving it with ice cream, we topped it with fresh strawberries--a perfect touch.  I got so distracted to getting ready to bring this over to my sister-in-laws house, that I forgot to put the nuts in the frosting.  The story gets better, while getting ready to go, my 2 and 3 year olds thought they would touch up the frosting.  (Insert your imagination here).  Now that it has been a few days, I wish I would have taken a picture.  In less than 5 minutes of my absence, they had chocolate frosting all over their faces, hands, the stove, the chair, and the bathroom (where they were trying to clean up).  I don't think I'll ever be able to make this again without thinking of their faces!