Ree Drummond Uses Double Butter In Sheet Cake Because Of A Mistake

Those who enjoy family-friendly Southern recipes are likely fans of Ree Drummond and her popular Food Network show, "The Pioneer Woman." Known for her decadent and country-infused recipes like homemade macaroni and cheese, meatballs drenched in homestyle barbecue sauce, and chocolate chip caramel ice cream sundaes to satisfy your sweet tooth, the famous Oklahoma-born chef has made a proper name for herself. Along with other traditional Southern-style dishes, Drummond also makes her own version of a classic Texas sheet cake. Believe it or not, her classic recipe initially turned out extra moist and flavorful by mistake.

Who claims to be a proper Southerner yet doesn't have a trusted sheet cake recipe? Surely, most country-raised chefs have the directions for a generational sheet cake recipe tucked neatly away in their back pockets. Evidently, Drummond first made Texas sheet cake upon receiving a recipe from her husband Ladd's mother. Apparently, Drummond misread the recipe and doubled the amount of butter suggested. 

The end result must have been a definite hit since she now exclusively makes her signature Texas sheet cake with a considerable portion of butter in the mix. Before further discussing Drummond's appreciation for butter in her favorite recipes, let's get into the ins and outs of Texas sheet cake and discuss how one small mismeasurement made Drummond's version of the iconic sheet cake a highly favored dessert.

If you're not familiar with Texas sheet cake, you're missing out, especially if you're a fan of rich, chocolatey desserts. What makes a Texas sheet cake oh-so-good could be the buttermilk or cocoa powder used in the cake batter or, even more probable, the thick layer of warm chocolate and pecan frosting that gets poured over the freshly-baked confection. Guesses aside, Ree Drummond's version of the Southern treat is likely even more decadent than any standard version due to the amount of butter she includes in her recipe.

As previously mentioned, Drummond first made her mother-in-law's version of the traditional recipe. According to Taste of Home, Drummond accidentally read "1 c. butter" to mean 1 cup instead of 1 cube — or 1 stick – as her mother-in-law originally intended. Instead of ruining this homemade dessert, the extra stick of butter made her Texas sheet cake even more moist and delicious. When Drummond made the newly altered cake, her husband admitted to liking the extra-buttery dessert more than his mother's. 

Sure enough, butter is an essential ingredient in most cake recipes since it not only helps freshly baked treats rise effectively but also guarantees fluffier and lighter results. Drummond decided to keep her classic sheet cake recipe with extra butter. However, Texas sheet cake isn't the only recipe she upgrades with a substantial amount of the golden spread.

When considering the Southern chef's Texas sheet cake alone, Ree Drummond's version calls for using almost 4 full sticks of butter when you factor in the homemade frosting. However, Texas sheet cake is only the tip of the sheet pan, so to speak. When Drummond made it to the big screen in 2011, she admitted on "The Pioneer Woman" blog to using over 120 pounds of butter in a two-week time frame. She also made a point to mention that this exorbitant amount of butter was only used for the recipes she intended on sharing publicly, and not to feed any staff or crew members. That's quite a bit of butter for exclusive on-screen recipes.

Since Ree Drummond uses a staggering amount of butter in everything she cooks, in 2012, she partnered up with Land O'Lakes to spread the word on the brand's new flavor of butter infused with sea salt and olive oil and to also share family-friendly recipes with this new oil-infused product. In an announcement about the partnership, Drummond talked openly on her personal blog about her love for the creamy spread in great detail. If you also are a fan of butter, Drummond's recipes have you covered.