The Loosle Chronicles

Ok…so not the best picture in the world, but I promise you this cake was the BOMB.COM!! lol! I LOVE Texas Sheet Cake. It takes me back to living in Chicago with Teri and the Sears familia. I think it was the first time I’d ever had it. Anyhow, those were the days. I think between the three of us we put that entire cake away within 2 days. lol! What heffers! heehee. Anyhow, I used a recipe I got from thepioneerwoman.com. So go and make it now! DELICIOUS!!

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake
(adapted from Ree, thepioneerwoman.com)

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Stir together.
Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Cut as desired. And devour! So delicious.

Friday night I got together with a group of my girlfriends from work. We played Mad Gab and had some yummy snacks. I have been dying for an excuse to make cupcake pops (as photographed above) since I saw them posted on Bakerella.com. And then I saw that she had a party at the Pioneer Womans and I knew I had to give in (heehee) and make these! I’ll be honest…I didn’t totally love the flavor of the cake and frosting when I first made it, but I tried it the next day and it tasted a lot better. In the future I’ll definitely not use the entire can of frosting and I want to try new flavors. The girls liked them so I guess that’s all that mattered! It was really easy and fun to make too! Enjoy!

Cupcake Pops

1 Box Cake Mix (Any flavor…I used Devil’s Food)

1 Can Frosting (I guess you could make your own too…I’m not brave enough to do that, but feel free to try it!)

Candy Melts

Candies to decorate (be creative!)

Lollipop Sticks

Waxed Paper

Styrafoam (or something to hold the pops in to dry)

Prepare cake as directed. Once completely cooled crumble into a large mixing bowl. Once completely crumbled add a little less than a full can of frosting. I mashed mine to combine with the back of a large spoon. Then form little balls with the cake and place on lined cookie sheet. Place in fridge or freezer to harden. Then shape and dip into candy melts (melt as directed on package) and decorate as desired. For step by step pictures click here.