Chocolate Skillet Cake

Chocolate Skillet Cake as made by me
a complete amateur cook as my wife will tell you.

If you are married to a person of the female persuasion or, if you yourself are a person of the female persuasion, you need to know about this cake. One fair warning, however, before you go any further.  If you are one of those women, or your spouse is one of those women for whom chocolate is a religious experience, this cake will not long survive its completion.  I've known one chaste and temperate little woman to devour this entire cake in under 24 hours. I was frankly surprised she didn't require dialysis afterward.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• dash salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 3-4 tablespoons milk (as needed for consistency)
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Mix flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a bowl with a wire whisk.  Set the bowl aside. 
2. Put butter, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, and water into an iron skillet and heat on the stovetop to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the dry ingredients till well-blended. 
3. Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla and whisk till smooth and evenly colored. 
4. Bake the skillet cake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. 
5.  Cool the cake while making the frosting. In a small pot, gently bring butter, cocoa, and milk to a slow boil. Remove the pot from the heat and add powdered sugar, nuts, and vanilla. Stir gently to combine . 
6. Pour over the warm cake, spread with a spatula,

Serving suggestions:

·       Warm or cold, with ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped cream or all by itself, this amazing cake is hard to resist even if you aren't a chocoholic.

      © 2013 by Tom King