all the greatest things are simple

Texas Sheet Cake

This may not look like much. Sure, it lacks swirls of frosting, layers upon layers of delicate cake, and sparkling garnishes. And though I'm sentimental about it, as it was another of my grandmother's tried and true recipes--the requisite Fourth of July Barbeque dessert, it really is the perfect down-home, fork-free cake. This is what you eat sitting in the grass, your fingers smeared with chocolate, and the sun burning your nose. Chocolate cake, plain and simple. Take it to a picnic, barbeque, or horde the entire 18 x 13 inch cake for your own grubby little hands. Oh, and lest I forget to mention, pictured with the cake is a scoop of unbelievably amazing vegan cookie dough ice cream.


Texas Sheet Cake
serves a whole buncha people

1/2 cup soy margarine (Earth Balance)
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups unrefined sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pkg silken tofu (Mori Nu), blended well
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour

Lightly grease a 18" x 13" jelly roll pan. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, combine margarine, water, and cocoa powder. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Let cool slightly and carefully pour into a large bowl (that won't melt. Don't use plastic.) In a small bowl, whisk oil, sugar, blended tofu and salt together. Whisk into cocoa/water mixture until well combined. Using a whisk or fork, stir baking soda into flour and then fold this into the wet ingredients until just combined. Pour out into greased pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake in center of oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Prepare icing while cake cools on rack.

Texas Icing

1/2 cup soy margarine (Earth Balance)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons soy milk
1/2 lb powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

Heat margarine, cocoa powder, and soy milk in heavy saucepan over medium. Whisk until melted; remove from heat. Stir in sugar, one cup at a time until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts. Pour over warm cake and spread carefully with a spatula. Sprinkle on the remaining nuts.

(For the sake of posterity, I will mention that the original recipe uses sour cream and scads of butter. I've also made this cake using vegan versions and exact measurements of "sour cream", margarine, and egg replacer. I've found that using tofu in lieu of sour cream and eggs works wonderfully, as well as replacing a bit of the butter with oil, so that the use of processed goods is toned down just a touch.)