Samoa Sheet Cake

I made this chocolate sheet cake topped with toasted coconut, chocolate, and caramel for Dave to take to a ukulele party - he didn't take pictures of the cake once it was cut; since it's a sheet cake it isn't a very tall piece of cake, so just imagine a moist, thin chocolate slab topped with this amazing combo of goodness to get a picture of what the inside looks like ;) Apparently it was a hit because he didn't bring any leftovers home!

It's technically named "Samoa" sheet cake - and who doesn't love a Samoa cookie...but I want to steal a clever Girl Scout's idea and rename it " Momoa sheet cake" (do you know Jason Momoa? Plays Aquaman and is a cutie...) but I'll leave it as is. 

Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 4 Tablespoons cocoa
• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

• ½ cup butter
• 6 Tablespoons milk
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ⅛ cup caramel sauce, I used caramel ice cream topping in the jar

Toppings:

• 2½ cups toasted coconut
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• additional caramel sauce to drizzle on top - maybe 1/2 cup or so
• ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon shortening or oil

Instructions:

1. Before making the cake, line an 18x13x1 inch cookie sheet with foil and spread shredded sweetened coconut evenly over cookie sheet.
2. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, checking and tossing coconut regularly, every 2-5 minutes, to make sure all the coconut gets toasted evenly and does not burn. Coconut is done when it is golden brown.
3. In a large mixing bowl, measure flour and sugar. Set aside.
4. In a medium sauce pan, combine butter, water, cocoa and shortening. Bring to a boil. After mixture reaches a boil, add it to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
5. Add buttermilk, then baking soda, then eggs, then vanilla in that order, mixing in-between each addition.
6. Pour into a greased 18x13x1 inch cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Frosting and Toppings:

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine butter and milk and bring to a boil. Stir caramel sauce and then add powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.

2. After cake has cooked, remove from oven and poke holes in hot cake with a fork. Pour frosting evenly over top. Immediately sprinkle with top of warm frosting with toasted coconut.

I added a few mini chips along with the toasted coconut

3. In microwavable bowl, heat caramel sauce until it's smooth and warmed thru. Drizzle over coconut.

4. In another microwavable bowl, add chocolate chips and shortening (or oil). Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment until the chocolate in melted. Drizzle over caramel. 

5. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the whole delicious mess. 

5. Let Caramel and Chocolate drizzle set before cutting into it.

Click here for original recipe source, I only changed a couple things like adding mini chocolate chips and using caramel sauce to drizzle instead of mixing block caramels and evaporated milk.

2.27.18: quinoa salad

2.27.17:  make a beaded bauble ring

2.27.16: tomato pear chutney

Happy moment ~ Sarge charging seagulls