Masterpiece

I think this was well worth the work (all Sunday afternoon) to make. . . Right??

Here's the Recipe:

Fudgy Pudgy Cake

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 cup hot water

3/4 cup butter, softened

2-3/4 cups packed brown sugar

3 eggs

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FILLING:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup butter, softened

GLAZE:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/4 cup milk

2 cups confectioners sugar

Chocolate curls, optional

This was out of a taste of home book (not my recipe!) I guess we decided to try it as an adventure just because it looked good and we wanted to know if we could follow this hard of a recipe. :)

In a small bowl, combine cocoa and hot water until smooth; cool. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and cocoa mixture.  Stir in vanilla.

Pour into three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in round baking pans.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 10 min; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  (I made the mistake of not greasing the wax paper when I did this and the cakes came out really sloppily)

FILLING:

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  Gradually stir in milk until smooth bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened.  Remove from the hear; stir in vanilla.  Cool completely.  In a small mixing bowl, cream butter.  Gradually beat in cooled mixture.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling.  Repeat layers.  Top with the remaining cake layer.

GLAZE:

For glaze, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in cocoa until smooth.  Add milk.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat.  With an electric mixer, beat in confectioners sugar until blended.  Cool for 15-20 minutes; spread over top of cake.  Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.  Store in refrigerator.  Makes 12-14 servings.  

(To make chocolate curls, take a solid block of chocolate and run it over with a potato peeler)