Whopper Cake

This week we found a fun children's book at the library called, "Whopper Cake".  It is a great story about a cute grandpa who wants to bake a Whopper Cake for grandma's birthday.  Grandma lets him at the kitchen while she goes to run errands.  Grandpa proceeds to get out of hand, finally mixing up the huge cake in the bed of his pick-up truck.  The over-sized confection bakes in the sun while he drives in to town to get ice cream, and neighbors help frost it with shovels.  Grandma is quite surprised and everyone enjoys huge chunks of her cake.  At the end of the story, there was a recipe for a "Whopper Cake" and my boys had to try it.  I'm including it here, but if you want the real flavor for grandpa's recipe, you'll have to read this book!

Whopper Cake
1 c. cocoa powder
1 c. butter, softened (we used margarine)
1 c. very hot water
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, combine the cocoa, butter and hot water and stir until smooth.  Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Sift in dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer for 2 min. (Grandpa says,"Ya can use a stout wooden spoon if'n your arm is strong.")  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool and frost with your favorite frosting.

Notes:  The original recipe says to bake this for 30 min., but it took 45.  It also called for cake flour, but I used standard flour. I made a basic powdered sugar frosting with butter and cocoa.  This does make a nice, high cake, and I like the texture.  Chocolate flavor will have a lot to do with the quality of your cocoa.
Jenny