Attempts to be sweet and healthy...

...are futile!  Especially when there are birthdays!  I mean, who wants to eat a healthy, low-sugar, whole wheat excuse for a cake for your birthday?

NOBODY!

Okay, it wasn't my birthday.  It was my mother-in-law's birthday and I, as her first and *cough* favorite *cough* daughter-in-law had to make her a wonderful, sinfully delicious birthday cake.

This cake was not healthy.

But boy, was it good!  Totally worth the deduction of points I got for that day having indulged in one piece of this chocolate cake.  (I had already used up my two "indulgences" for the week, so I lost two points by eating one slice of this cake.)

Still... I only had ONE slice!  It was super hard not to go back for another slice, but I DID IT!

So, that counts for two extra points in my challenge, right???

Chocolate Sheet Cake (aka Texas Sheet Cake)

• 2 c flour 
• 1 c sugar
• 1 t baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1 c butter
• 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 c water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1/2 T vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 cake pan.
2. Stir together flour, sugar, soda, & salt in a medium bowl.
3. Combine butter, cocoa powder, & water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat & add to flour mixture.  Beat with electric mixer until well-combined.
5. Add eggs, buttermilk & vanilla.  Beat batter for 1 minute.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes until a knife/toothpick comes out clean from the center.

While cake is cooking, prepare Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting as follows:

Combine 1/4 c butter, 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder, & 3 T buttermilk in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and add 2 c powdered sugar & 1/2 t vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Pour warm frosting over warm cake & spread evenly.  Cool completely before serving.

Take that, diet!