Chocolate Cake

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate Icing
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 6 tbs milk
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Sift together sugar and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or just until butter and shortening melt. Remove from heat; pour over sugar mixture stirring until dissolved. Cool slightly.

Stir in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into a greased and lightly floured 15- x 1 O-inch jelly-roll pan.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. (Cake will have a fudge-like texture.) Spread Chocolate Icing over hot cake. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Chocolate Icing:

Combine butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until butter melts. Cook over medium heat until bubbles appear on the surface. (It will not come to a rolling boil.) Remove from heat; gradually stir in sugar and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in pecans.