The Most Scrumptious Chocolate Cake

 Last weekend I posted about Herbal Kitchen Towels I made as a hostess gift. Well, the weekend was a bit of a bust, as the other couples were more interested in what was in their glass than what was on their plate (and hubby and I don't drink alcohol). Anyway, we had to leave right after dinner, at 9:30, to get back to Andy, so we left without dessert. The weekend was even more of a bust when, one by one, the kids got the vomiting again (and one case of strep throat). This has been a long winter for us, but the forecast is for 60-80 degrees this week, so I am going to open all the windows and drive out the germs! Since we never got to try the chocolate cake, I decided to make another one for us to enjoy.
Have you ever seen the movie Matilda? Well, I love the scene where Miss Trunchbull makes Bruce Bogtrotter eat an entire chocolate cake as punishment for stealing a piece earlier. She says, "That was the most delicious, most scrumptious chocolate cake, and it was MINE!" If you make this recipe, you'll be saying the same thing to your family, I guarantee.
This recipe is from my Mom. She didn't make it often, but when she did it always disappeared quickly. It is easy to make and  because it is baked in a 9x13 pan, it is great for potlucks, guild meetings, etc. The frosting is poured over the hot cake and cools into a fudge-like layer. Yum!

My Mom's Scotch Chocolate Cake

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

8 TBS butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening

5 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400. To make the cake, combine the flour, sugar, and soda. In a saucepan, combine the butter, shortening, cocoa, and water and bring to a rapid boil. Gradually pour it over the flour and sugar mixture and combine thoroughly. Mkix in the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, till top springs back.

Frosting:

8 TBS butter (1 stick)

1 tsp vanilla

4 TBS unsweetened cocoa

6 TBS milk

1 lb confectioner's sugar

1 cup chopped pecans (optional-I leave these out)

About 5 minutes before the cake is finished, make the frosting. In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk and cook until butter is melted. Remove from heat and beat in the vanilla and confectioner's sugar. Stir in the pecans. Pour the hot frosting over the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let cool before cutting.