Gluten Free Chocolate Sheet Cake

Boy oh boy....do I ever have a treat in store for you :) This is the most amazing, chocolatey, EASY, gluten free cake ever! Like ever!!! I have been experimenting on a chocolate sheet cake for my munchkin's upcoming birthday to serve guests and last night I hit pay dirt. Is that even a saying? I don't know, I'm a bit too tired to think of something more clever. So the basis for this cake is pretty much The Pioneer Woman's Best Chocolate Sheet Cake I just de-glutified it and even through in a a good mix of brown rice flour (whole grain and it's GOOD for you :) Not like chocolate ISN'T hehehe. I'll tell you, I've never wanted sweet treats, cookies, cakes, and such more now that I can't just pop a couple oreos...or go to a local ice cream joint. Taking corn out of the picture really limits what I can eat. SOoooo I just make my own now :) 

Whats great is that most of these ingredients are already in your kitchen

(Jeeeez, so I appologize for the blurry picture. I really didn't realize it was at the time, I promise!) Oh and I have verified that Molina Mexican Vanilla Extract (a Utah company) and Saco Cocoa Powder are gluten free :) Start out by making yourself some buttermilk. Add 1/2 a tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup milk. Or just go buy yourself some buttermilk. After the insanely busy day I had and visiting the Walmart returns desk twice in one day going back to the store was simply out of the question...

Next measure out 1 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, and 1/2 cup sweet rice flour and place in a large mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups sugar and1/4 teaspoon salt. Sift and stir ingredients with a fork until they are comfortable and nicely blended.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, melt 2 sticks of butter.

Now stir in 4 heaping Tablespoons cocoa powder to the butter.

Once cocoa powder and butter are thoroughly mixed, pour in 1 cup boiling water and boil mixture for 30 seconds then remove from heat. 

While cooca mix is cooling, beat 2 eggs and add to the buttermilk, then stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Once the cocoa blend is cool, stir it into the dry ingredients like so....

Once the cocoa mix and dry ingredients are mixed to a lovely velvety smoothness, pour in the egg/buttermilk mix.

Now, pour into a regular sheet cake (ungreased) and bake on 350 for 20 minutes or until it passes the "toothpick" test.

While the cake is baking, whip up your frosting by melting 1 1/2 sticks butter then stirring in 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove from heat and allow to cool then mix in 3ish cups of powdered sugar (just add the amount that creates your desired texture and thickness), 6 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Now, you SHOULD wait until the cake and frosting cool before plopping it all on a plate. It would have made for a better photo....

Ok, here is the recipe breakdown:

Chocolate Sheet Cake

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

2 cups sugar

2 sticks melted butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 beaten eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together brown rice flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, and sugar then set aside. Melt butter in saucepan then stir in cocoa powder. Once incorporated pour in boiling water and boil for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool. Beat eggs and add to buttermilk. Then stir in salt and baking soda. Once cocoa mix is cooled stir in flour mixture and mix well until smooth. Then stir in buttermilk mixture. Pour into ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Frosting

1 1/2 sticks melted butter

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3ish cups powdered sugar

In medium saucepan melt butter then stir in cocoa powder. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Spread onto cooled baked cake.

**I have to add a note, there was no need for xanthun or guar gum for this recipe. It holds together well and in my opinion, does not need the additional binding agent :)

So another thing I have to add....this is how my family spent the time waiting on my cake experimentation.

Yep.....dancing with dogs....