Would You Like Chocolate With That? ~ Mexican Chocolate Sheet Cake

I seem to have picnics on the brain right now (and I'm not even going to any!). This chocolate recipe is a good one for sharing at potlucks & picnics. The flavor of the Mexican chocolate is subtle, but yummy.

This recipe has a lot of steps, but a yummy result. If all these steps are too intimidating for you, try my Cookie Salad recipe or Chocolate Toffee Cream Cake. They are also hits at potlucks, though they can't sit out too long at a hot picnic.

Mexican Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup boiling water
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled
1- 1/2 disks (4-1/2 oz.) Ibarra chocolate (Mexican chocolate)
or 4-1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate squares
(finely chopped) with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, cut up
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup pecans, toasted & chopped

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13x9 pan. Line bottom with wax paper; grease & flour paper.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, & salt in large bowl. Whisk cocoa & boiling water in medium bowl til smooth. Stir cocoa into dry ingredients with rubber spatula (mixture will be dry). Whisk eggs, buttermilk, vanilla & butter (the 2 sticks, melted & cooled)) in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk mixture into cocoa mixture until smooth. Pour batter into pan. Bake 40 minutes, until toothpick is clean.
3. Make frosting: Meanwhile, place Ibarra chocolate & butter (1 stick, cut up) in a medium microwaveable bowl. Cover bowl with plastic, turning back one section to vent. Microwave on high 1-1/2 minutes, until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Add cream. Cover & microwave 1-1/2 minutes more, just until cream is hot. Stir until frosting is completely smooth and shiny.
4. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Pour frosting evenly over hot cake. Sprinkle pecans over top. Cool cake completely.


Hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do! Let me know if you try it...

Lisa :)