You may have heard of a Texas sheet cake, but what about a sheath cake? The term "sheath" began to be used in print during the late 1950s. Food historians generally believe that "sheath" originated from a mispronunciation caused by a typo in a recipe that spread. There's also a theory that it might be due to some people's mothers wearing poorly fitting dentures. Either way, this cake is fantastic!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 TB cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Icing:
1 stick (1/2 cup) lightly salted butter
4 TB cocoa powder
6 TB whole milk
1 box (about 4 cups) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
In a bowl, mix together flour and sugar; set aside.
In a saucepan, mix butter, shortening, cocoa, and water; bring to a rapid boil. Pour mixture over sugar and flour mixtures, and stir well.
Add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla, and mix well. Pour into the greased casserole dish, and bake until done, 25 to 30 minutes. (Note: Make the icing when the cake comes out of the oven.)
Icing: In a saucepan, mix together the butter, cocoa, and milk; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, and vanilla; beat well.
Ice cake immediately while still hot. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.
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