INGREDIENTS:
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups flour
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large heavy saucepan, combine cocoa powder, butter, oil, and 1 cup milk. Place over medium heat and cook until butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. As soon as the mixture boils, remove it from the heat and beat with a wire whisk.
- Add flour, sugars, salt, and baking soda. Beat well (batter will be thick at this point). Then add buttermilk, eggs, and 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla and beat again until batter is smooth and shiny.
- Spray 13×9″ pan with flour based cooking spray. Pour batter (batter will be thin) into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes, until cake has risen and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean.
- Let cake cool for 30 minutes.
PREPARE THE FROSTING:
In a heavy saucepan, combine 1/3 cup cocoa with 1/3 cup butter. Place over low heat and cook until butter melts and mixture is smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup milk, powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until smooth. Immediately pour over cake. Frosting should level itself, but you may need to even it off with a knife. Let cool completely, then cut into squares.
This recipe serves 12 people.