Blond Texas Sheet Cake with
Caramel-Pecan Frosting

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box white cake mix*
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cake

1. Beat the cake mix, buttermilk, butter, egg whites and almond extract together with an electric mixer at low speed for 2 minutes or until blended. Pour batter into a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan.
2. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours.

Frosting

1. Place chopped pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes or until lightly toasted.
2. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 3 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in buttermilk.
3. Return mixture to heat and bring to a boil. Pour into bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla and almond extracts, beating at medium-high speed until smooth. Stir in pecans.
4. Pour immediately over cooled cake in pan and spread quickly to cover cake.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.