2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks butter
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. Heat the butter in a sauce pan. Stir in cocoa powder and hot water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and baking soda. Add the cocoa mixture to the flour and sugar and stir until combined. Stir in the buttermilk mixture. Add a tablespoon of vanilla. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan or a large cookie sheet with sides. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until the center tests done. Cool on a rack.
Icing:
1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons milk
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Bring the butter, cocoa powder, and milk to a low boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the powdered sugar, then the vanilla. Pour over the warm cake and spread. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.
Tips:
* Begin making the icing when the cake comes out of the oven. By the time the icing is ready, the cake will be cool enough to ice. You don’t want the cake piping hot, but you don’t want it completely cooled either. The icing spreads more readily if the cake is still warm.
* Don’t walk away from the frosting when boiling the butter, cocoa, and milk. You don’t want to burn it!
*Add more powdered sugar, if needed. The icing should not be too thin, but it should fall reading from a spoon or be a pouring consistency.
* Cool the cake before cutting and serving.
Here is the recipe that my mom adapted from The Amish Cookbook titled:
Dairy Queen Ice Cream
For a 1-1/2 gallon ice cream freezer
2 quarts milk, scalded (I used whole milk)
4 packets Knox gelatin
3-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 can evaporated milk
3-5 tablespoons vanilla extract
Soften the gelatin in 1/2 cup hot water. Scald milk by bring it to almost a boil. (This can be done in the microwave.) Whisk the softened gelatin into the milk. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Cool. Add in the cream, evaporated milk and vanilla. Chill for 5-6 hours. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.
Tip:
Whisk the hot water into the gelatin to soften, making sure that there are no lumps, then let it sit while you scald the milk. Thoroughly whisk the gelatin into the milk, again, making sure that there are no lumps.