Fudgy Sheet Cake

Frosting a cake soon after it cools maintains its moistness. If you must delay that step, wrap the cake in plastic wrap.

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2  cup  boiling water
• 2  cups  sifted cake flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  cups  granulated sugar
• 1/3  cup  vegetable shortening
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2  large eggs
• 1  cup  low-fat buttermilk
• Cooking spray
• 
  Icing:
• 1 1/2  cups  sifted powdered sugar
• 3  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa
• 2  tablespoons  1% low-fat milk
• 1  teaspoon  butter, softened
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, combine 1/2 cup cocoa and water in a small bowl; cool. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Place granulated sugar, shortening, and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cocoa mixture. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating well after each addition.

Pour batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack.

To prepare icing, combine the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons cocoa in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add milk, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; stir with a whisk until smooth. Spread icing over cake.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

294 (24% from fat)

Fat:

8g (sat 2.4g,mono 3.2g,poly 1.7g)

Protein:

4.2g

Carbohydrate:

54.2g

Fiber:

1.9g

Cholesterol:

38mg

Iron:

2mg

Sodium:

241mg

Calcium:

39mg