Liat's Fluffy Chocolate Sheet Cake

Liat is home for a month before med school, and her one request was for me to find a chocolate sheet cake that isn't dense and heavy. The recipe below filled the bill.

• 5 oz. unsalted butter, soft
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (I like Droste)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 scant tsp. baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 5 oz. chocolate (Valrhona Equitorial is my favorite), melted
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Like the bottom of a 9X13X2" pan with parchment paper.

Mix sugar and butter in mixer on low speed for a minute, then 3 more minutes on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Use rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and mix another 2 minutes.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

Add the egg, one at a time, to the butter mixture and mix 10 seconds after each addition. Mix as little as possible but make sure eggs are incorporated. Add chocolate and mix on medium speed for 15 seconds. Lower mixer speed to the lowest setting and add half the dry ingredients, then half the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients followed by the milk. Minimize beating. Add the water and beat another 30 seconds. Add vanilla and beat another 15 seconds.

Pour batter into pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 38-40 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, invert the cake and peel off the paper.

I eat this cake with whipped cream and no icing. Vanilla ice cream also works. If you want to frost it, use the following:

• 8 oz. chocolate
• 3 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1 cup whipping cream or one can condensed milk

Melt on top of the stove at low heat, stirring constantly. You can adjust the thickness of the mixture by adding more or less whipping cream or condensed milk. Pour over the cake.