Complete and utter decadence.

I have been reading a blog for the past year or so called The Pioneer Woman.  It is funny and enjoyable and apparently super-popular.  I mean, that's as it should be.  It's good.  Ree (the pioneer woman) has different topics she writes about daily such as food, photography, her kids, etc.  It's fun and they seem like a fun family.

She has a cookbook out called The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  In in (and on the blog) she has a recipe for the best chocolate sheet cake ever.

That is saying something.  Not that I ever really eat "sheet cakes", but, you know, I eat cake.  Lots of cake. Usually just in a different shape.  Anywho, I had family coming to town last weekend, so I decided to whip it up.

Although I am not one for multiple steps going into a cake, I decided this would be worth it.  The beginning stages of the cake are on the stove.

At this point you melt the butter and mix in the cocoa. Yum!

Then dry ingredients are mixed in a bowl.  Here I'm getting ready to pour the wet ingredients in.

Then, you mix more wet ingredients in a measuring cup--eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, etc.  All the yummy stuff!  That is added to the bowl.

Yumtastic!  Sorry about the crappy pictures.  I was trying to get some "action shots".  The light in my kitchen is also not the greatest.  Very yellow.

Anywho, then you put this lovely mix into a sheet cake pan.

After baking the cake, I thought these turned out a little thin.  They were kind of brownie-like, which is great, but I like a little more cake to sink my teeth into.  Next time, I think I will make them in a jelly roll pan.

While the cake is baking, you can start making the frosting.  It is delish.  You will want to drink this stuff.  It is basically butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and cocoa.  You really don't need more than that in life, do you?

The last picture is the finished product.  You just pour the frosting on.  Very easy and smooth.  One thing I didn't do was whisk the frosting.  That was a big mistake...huge (name that movie...)  because it looks like there are nuts in the frosting!  My cake would never have nuts in the frosting, so there.  When it says optional, I will never take that option. . . just so you know.

All in all, I was very happy with the flavor and texture of this cake.  It was moist and delicious and stayed that way the whole 3 days it existed. . . I think a second round will be coming soon.

For the recipe, check out this site.  Her photos are amazing.