A Snowy Day = Hot Chocolate... Cake

They are calling for 2-4" of snow here tonight.  It was 60 degrees yesterday!  I am hoping for a good snow.  My two boys LOVE to be outside every day, but they have a BlAsT when it snows!  I get excited, too!  I hate missing school, because we will inevitably have to make up any days we miss, but it's just a lot of fun to have a day to play in the snow!  So... it is barely even snowing here... the tiniest flakes have been falling for 2 hours and my deck looks like I sprinkled an itty-bitty amount of salt out my back window.  Practically nothing at this point, but I've got my fingers crossed.  While I wait and hope for the snow to fall and pile up, I decided that it's a perfect time to bake something.

Freezing cold days are perfect for hot chocolate.  But, I want something rich and more satisfying that a drink.  My mom's Hot Chocolate Cake is the perfect thing on this cold winter day.  (Plus it is super easy and it includes a frosting that you can pour - yes pour - onto the cake while it is still hot!)  Here's the recipe:

Ingredients You'll Need for the Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 stick butter/margarine
1/2 cup Crisco
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk  (I never have buttermilk, so I put 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar into a 1/2 c. milk & let it sit about 5 minutes)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of cinnamon

Here's What You'll Do:
1. Mix flour & sugar in large bowl thoroughly (use a bowl that can stand heat).
2. Place butter, Crisco, cocoa, & water into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Pour hot mixture over flour/sugar mixture and stir to mix well.
4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
5. Pour into a 9x13" pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*When there are about 5 minutes left in baking time for the cake, start making the frosting.

Ingredients You'll Need for the Frosting:
1 stick butter/margarine
6 Tbsp. milk
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Here's How to Make the Frosting:
1.  Bring butter, milk and cocoa to a boil in a saucepan.
2.  Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Mix well.
3.  Pour over cake after it's finished baking.

You will probably want need to wait about 10 minutes before you cut yourself a slice.  It will be very challenging to wait 10 minutes, if you are a chocolate/sweets lover like myself.  If you don't wait, the frosting will likely slide off.  Waiting allows some of that frosting to soak into the cake.  YUM!

Hope you enjoy this cake.  It's one that my Mom made and passed along the recipe.  My Mom's the best cook and baker I know, so to have some of her "easier" recipes that are no-fail and always yummy is really a wonderful blessing!  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!!!