Cake For Breakfast

Of course, as long as it's chocolate. This cake recipe was cut out of a newspaper over thirty years ago by my aunt. Our family calls it Charlotte Armstrong cake, but you can call it a little slice of heaven. Or a big slice. Or a fifth slice if you are my daughter. This is the cake for people who don't like chocolate cake. Receiving compliments about this cake from a non-chocolate-cake-lover is almost as good as a slice of this cake. Almost. The best thing about making this cake for dessert is having a slice for breakfast the next morning. It goes oh so well with coffee. From my kitchen to yours, here is a recipe for bliss:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking dish or cake pan. Batter may also be divided between smaller pans to make a layered cake.

Cake:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening (I use more butter or vegetable oil - never shortening, but it's your call)
1 cup water
4 T cocoa

2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
1 t baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup sour cream)
1 t vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten

In a small sauce pan, bring first four ingredients to a boil. Sift dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add cocoa mixture, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Pour batter into greased and floured baking dish or cake pan. bake 25-35 minutes, or until done (toothpick test works best).

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
6 T milk
4 T cocoa
1 package (1lb.) powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
Walnuts (optional - pecans are good too)

In a small sauce pan (you can use the same sauce pan used for cake), bring butter, milk, cocoa and vanilla to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until desired consistency. I use less powdered sugar than called for as I like my frosting on the runny side. Add nuts. Frost cake. Save a piece for breakfast.