Texas Carrot Sheet Cake

There's nothing like a "Texas" sheet cake for large family events. It's quick, easy and feeds a lot of people. After looking at a lot of Texas sheet cakes, I decided to try a Carrot Cake, my husband's favorite, and I wasn't disappointed. This cake is so very moist. It's a perfect dessert for a party, picnic, church function and any other large gathering.
There are many choices for Texas Sheet Cakes. I've added a Strawberry, German Chocolate, Italian Cream, Chocolaty, Coconut, Orange Creamcicle, Red Velvet and Banana to the bottom of this post for more options from other contributors from around the internet.

Why do they call it a Texas Sheet Cake?
The origins of this cake are murky. Some sources say it may have first shown up in a Texas newspaper, which is why it's called "Texas' sheet cake, while others claim the name comes from the fact that it's the size of Texas. Regardless of its origins, this cake is truly a crowd-pleaser.
   
Let's Make a Texas Carrot Sheet Cake...
First off, most of the ingredients you'll probably have right in your pantry. Second, it's simple to make. Third very inexpensive, and fourth, it's delicious!

Here are the ingredients that you will need for the carrot cake...this cake is made in a 13X18" jelly roll/cookie sheet pan. Like I said, it makes enough servings for a crowd.
  • sugar
  • oil
  • eggs
  • flour
  • cinnamon
  • baking soda
  • all spice
  • salt
  • baking powder
  • carrots
Here are the ingredients you will need for the frosting...
  • cream cheese
  • butter
  • powdered sugar
  • vanilla
Like I said above, you will most likely have just about every ingredient, except you might need to purchase the cream cheese and the carrots. 
       
This recipe is very forgiving. The batter is a little thinner than a normal cake. This cake doesn't rise as far as a regular cake. The finished product is as high as a brownie would be. Mix according to the recipe instructions and grease and flour a 13"X18" jelly roll/cookie sheet pan. Pour the batter into the cookie sheet/jelly roll pan and bake at 350℉ and bake for 24-26 minutes.
    
After it comes out of the oven, let it cool before frosting.
    
and here it is! Now you need to make your frosting. There's only 4 ingredients in the frosting...cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. I beat the butter first, then add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Then add the vanilla. If it seems to thick, you can always add a little milk, but always remember you can always add a little, but you can't take it away once it's in. So add a tablespoon of milk at a time until you feel it's just perfect.
   
After it is frosted, I added chopped walnuts. Not everyone likes nuts, but a carrot cake really needs that nutty chewy addition to make it just right.

Carrot Cake - Texas Style Recipe...
Ingredients for cake:
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon all spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 2 cups carrots, finely grated
Ingredients for frosting:
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup batter, softened
  • 2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions for cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350d℉ and grease a 13X18 inch jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and oil together.
  3. Beat in the eggs.
  4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  5. Fold in the carrots 
  6. Then spread into the greased pan.
  7. Bake for 24-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Directions for frosting:
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
  2. Mix in the powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth.
  3. Mix in vanilla.
  4. Spread over cooled cake
  5. Sprinkle with walnuts (opt.)
  6. Yield 24-30 servings
  

Texas sheet cakes are moist and delicious and serve a crowd. Here are a few more flavors that might peek your interest from around the internet! 

Cakes, cakes and more cakes. All kinds, all shapes, all flavors. We have so many choices. I really couldn't pick out one cake that I wouldn't like. This post is about sheet cakes. They do not rise as tall as a regular cake. They are about the height of a brownie. But for being a short cake, they pack a yummy punch and they serve a crowd.

Always remember..."Life's short...eat dessert first!"...words to live by! 
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Ahhh...those Summer Breezes...

Oh yeah.... winter is over.... Glory Be!!!.... Memorial Day is just around the corner and time to think of fun in the sun, "up-north" time, lazy pontoon rides on the lake with warm summer breezes, good friends, and refreshing cocktails and beer, of course! Oh man that sounds good! Well friends, it's almost time. Here are a few beverages from blogs around the internet that might make that day at the lake a little more mellow. 

What a great assortment of adult beverages for summer! Easy to make, yummy to drink! I hope this summer you have a moment to try a few of these...you won't be disappointed! Enjoy!!!

Pink Lemonade Margarita
This recipe has frozen lemonade concentrate, tequila, Grand Marnier, and a lime. On a hot summer day this drink would be wonderful!
Ingredients
  • 1 (12 ounce) can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
  • 3 (12  ounce) cans of cold water – (just use the empty pink lemonade can)
  • 1 (12 ounce) can of tequila (use the empty lemonade can)
  • ½ (12 ounce) can of Grand Marnier (use the empty lemonade can)
  • Ice cubes – (I like to use crushed ice)
  • Salt to rim the glasses
  • 1 lime, wedged                                                                         
Directions:
  1. Pour the (thawed) frozen lemonade concentrate into a pitcher, and fill the can with cold water.
  2. Pour into the pitcher and repeat twice for a total of 3 cans of water
  3. Fill the can with tequila,,,, and pour that into the pitcher
  4. Fill about half of the can with Grand Marnier, and pour it into the pitcher.
  5. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving or blend mixture with ice for a frozen version
  6. Serve over ice in salt-rimmed glasses with a lime wedge
Sweet Red Wine Slushies
It can't get any easier than this one...red wine, squirt, ice and a blender. 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C. any red wine
1 can Squirt

Directions:
  1. Add the wine and the Squirt to the ice cream maker and process until desired consistency is reached. Or place in a large plastic bag and freeze for about 3 hours.
  2. Spoon into glass and garnish with fruit
Frozen French Lemonade
This just might be my first adult beverage for the summer. Once again an easy, citrus flavored summer adult beverage. 
This is an interesting concoction....enjoy!
 Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Alizé Red Passion liqueur
  • 1/2 cup citrus vodka
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
  • 4 cups of ice
Directions
  1. Add ice, Alizé Red Passion liqueur, citrus vodka, water and  frozen lemonade concentrate to a blender. 
  2. Blend until slushy and pour into a champagne flute
     I bet you could put this in that ice cream machine and it would be wonderful!

Blueberry Lavender Mojito
Mojitos are so good. I like the idea of using blueberries in a summery drink. I found the lavender syrup
on Amazon. The price was pretty good, plus they have lots of other flavors of syrup for other drinks.Other flavors: Rose, Blueberry, Peach, Pina Colada, Cherry, Chocolate and Strawberry. You can find this syrup HERE and if you have Prime there's no shipping charge. I love that!

Ingredients:
  •  8-10 mint leaves
  •  1 1/2 parts BACARDI® Superior Rum
  •  1 oz. lavender syrup
  •  1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
  •  10-12 blueberries
  •  Pinch of ground Cardamom
  •  Club soda
Directions:
In tall glass, muddle mint leaves, Lavender syrup, lime juice, blueberries, pinch of ground cardamom and rum. Muddle just enough to combine flavors, being careful not to over-muddle. Fill glass with crushed ice. Top with club soda. Stir. Garnish with blueberries on a cocktail pick.

Girl's Night In
All of these summer breeze drinks are pretty dang easy. I might have to try this one second. Although wine and vodka????? We'll just to try it out and see.
Ingredients:
  • 3 oz. Sutter Home Mocato
  • 1 oz. Vanilla vodka
  • 1 oz. Strawberry soda
  • Garnish with a strawberry
Directions:
Shake Moscato and vanilla vodka with ice. Pour into your favorite cocktail glass and top with strawberry soda. Garnish with a strawberry and raise a glass to your friends!

Wine Slushy Mix...
And last but not least is Homemade Wine Slushy mix. If you have gone to craft shows, they have mixes for wine slushes that are pretty expensive. I came across this recipe for making wine slushes and posted it on my Christmas post, "Oh How I Love Those Smiles. This recipe works very well and there's nothing better than a wine slushy in the "good 'ole summertime.
Ingredients:
  • 1 3/4 C. sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsps. citric acid
  • 750 ml of wine ( would use a dry red wine for this recipe, like Merlot...it's really good!)
  • 3 C. water
Directions:
  1. Pour mix into a large freezer bag or large bowl.
  2. Add 1 bottle of wine (750 ml) and 3 cups of water and stir or shake well.
  3. Freeze for about 3 hours before serving. Check on it about every 30 minutes and stir or shake it. This makes a finer sorbet style slushy. The longer it freezes, the better it gets.
One Final Thought...
Well...lots of great "adult beverages" to make for summer with a few great appetizers. Hope you enjoyed looking at all of these yummy drinks and I do hope you try a few of these while enjoying a slow pontoon ride on the lake or visiting with old friends, or just relaxing on a warm summer day with those "Summer Breezes"...




Always remember..."Life's short...eat dessert first!"...words to live by! 
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