Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Cake

For dessert the night I cooked at the beach, I chose Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Cake. I LOVE this cake, particularly the icing. Next year I think, just for time's sake, I'll make a box yellow cake and just make PW's icing to go on top. But I made two 9x13s of this cake, and every morsel was eaten. 

Two notes: Ree makes hers with nuts; I leave the nuts out because My People don't like nuts in their cake. And she makes her in a longer, shallower 18x13 pan so that the pieces are thinner. I make mine in a 9x13 so both the cake and the icing are thicker.

PIONEER WOMAN CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa. Stir together.
Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
 

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

PW CHOCOLATE ICING

While cake is baking, make icing:

Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
 

Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar
 

Stir together. Pour over warm cake.