Texas Sheet Cake

This is a great dessert for a crowd, as it makes 24 to 36 servings, depending on which pan you use. It's good by itself, and extra-good with a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice-cream. The cinnamon gives a slightly different flavor to the cocoa, and the fudgy frosting is "luscious," as Mom would say. When John Patrick was a kid he won a "Best of Show" at the Ingham County Fair with this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 1/2-sheet pan. (You can use a jelly-roll pan, but it cooks more evenly in the 1/2-sheet).

Combine the following, stirring well with a wire whip:
1 stick margarine, melted
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together into large bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
5 Tbsp baking cocoa

Add liquid ingredients. Mix on low speed, or use whip, until very well-blended. The texture of this is brownie-like, so don't incorporate too much air. Pour into greased pan. Bake for thirty minutes. Top immediately upon removing from oven.

Topping:
1 stick margarine, melted.
3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted with 5 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
5 Tbsp milk
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Blend well. Beat on high speed until desired thickness is achieved. The original recipe calls for a thinner icing, but we like it thick and fudgy.