this is probably the most requested cake for birthdays at our house.  there are a few others, and i will share those later....this recipe came from my dear, sweet friend, Patti Johnson.  it is called texas hot cocoa cake...i'm not sure why, but it doesn't matter...its GOOD!!!!  NOW, i will be sharing shortly about my interest and giftings in cooking from scratch, messing with recipes to change them and whatnot....what i tend to do with passing recipes on, is post the recipe as written and then post script what *I* do :) today, i had to make 4 of these cakes.  we are going to downtown dallas tomorrow to feed a group of special people and i volunteered the cake.  one reason is that it is sooooo good.  the other is that it is sooooo easy.  i almost always have the ingredients on hand and can pretty much whip it up in a few minutes. its a great cake to take to potlucks or to family in need.  after the first double batch, i decided to change it up a bit and will share what i did.

TEXAS HOT COCOA CAKE         serves 24

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup liquid shortening (another word for oil :))....i have used 1 cup of butter, too and like it better
• 1 cup water
• 6 Tablespoons cocoa (I use heaping)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional--some of my kids really don't like the cinnamon in it)

icing

• 1 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 6 Tablespoons milk
• 1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar ( I usually use just a tad bit less than this--makes more of a glaze on the cake)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (very optional, we usually don't use them, since they are $$ and not everyone likes them, but used them on one cake today)

directions:  bring butter, oil, cocoa and water to a boil.  take off heat.  combine the flour and sugar and cinnamon.  add the cocoa mixture to that mixture.  mix together the buttermilk, eggs, soda, salt and vanilla.  (yes! do make sure you add the soda to the wet ingredients, NOT the dry--it does make a difference--ask me how I know).  mix in the egg mixture to the chocolate batter.  Pour into a greased (pam) 9x13 or sheet cake (I have done both and really like the sheet cake better)  Bake at 350 for 30-45 min for the 9x13.  15-20 for the sheet cake pan.  While the cake is cooking, combine the butter and cocoa in a pan ( I use the same pan I boiled the other mixture in--don't bother to even rinse it--its the same ingredients :))  heat and mix til butter is melted.  take off heat and stir in the milk, powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts....pour over a hot cake--just pulled from the oven....and watch everyone fight over licking the bowls

this is how it is every. single. time.  I promise, I didn't do this :)

its really, really, REALLY good with a glass of milk (don't tell my kids I said that)