Mama Morris' Chocolate Cake

 

Today is your lucky day.  This is my all time favorite cake that my great grandmother Mama Morris used to make me for on my birthday when I'd go visit her in small town Georgia for the summer as a child.  Whew.  Long sentence.  Since then, my grandmother and my mom have passed it down to me.  And now it's my job to pass on this diabetic coma inducing artery blocking goodness to you.


What you need:

-1 1/4 cup flour
-2 cups sugar
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup buttermilk
-1 t soda
-1 t vanilla
-1/2 cup crisco or canola oil
-1 stick of butter
-3 T cocoa
-1 cup water

For the icing:
-1 stick butter
-4 T cocoa
-6 T milk
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 cups pecans
Directions:

1.  In a small sauce pan, bring one cup water, 1/2 cup crisco oil, 1 stick butter, and 3 tablespoons cocoa to a boil.  Set aside to cool.

2.  In a large bowl combine 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and two cups sugar.

3.  In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup buttermilk and one teaspoon soda.  Then add two lightly beaten eggs and one teaspoon vanilla.  Stir until combined.

4.  Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.  Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.  No need to over-stir.  You can see some of the flour lumps still in the batter.

5.  Pour into a 9" x 13" pan and bake for 35 minutes.  It's ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

6.  In a small sauce pan, add one stick of butter, 4 tablespoons of cocoa, 6 tablespoons of milk, and one teaspoon of vanilla.  Bring to a boil and mix in one box of powdered sugar.  Stir in the pecans and pour the icing over the warm cake still in the pan, using a knife to make sure it gets evenly covered.