Texas Sheet Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a Sheet Pan (I use a 10 1/2 by 15 inches, but an 18 x 12 x 1 pan will work, also) with butter, oil, or cooking spray.

In a medium-sized saucepan, add cocoa. Slowly add water, whisking as you add. Make sure to get into the corners. Place over medium high heat and then add the two sticks of butter, stirring as mixture comes to a boil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the cocoa/butter mixture all at once and stir in. Whisk together eggs and sour cream. Add to bowl and gently stir together.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes depending on size of pan. Do not overbake; cake will continue to cook for a moment or two out of pan.

Chocolate Icing:

About 10 minutes before cake is done, begin to prepare the icing. In a large saucepan, add cocoa. Slowly whisk in the milk. Turn on the heat to medium-high, then stir in the cut butter and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat & off the heat, stir in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. The icing should be thin enough to pour – if not whisk in another tablespoon milk.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle the warm frosting mixture over the top. Let cool on a rack until frosting sets up before serving. This cake takes about two hours to completely cool – if you can wait that long!

You may wish to add a cop of chopped pecans, sprinkled across the icing or quickly mark off where slices will be and add a pecan or Candied Pecan to the center of each slice.