Comfort Food

Each of us has some food in our past that is special - maybe a meal your mother made or something special a grandmother made.  One of mine is that my Pa-Paw kept elephant peanuts (those orange candies) in the bottom drawer in their kitchen almost every time we came for a visit.  I don't buy them but I think about him when I see the packages at the store.

Another favorite is the recipe I am sharing today.  It is one that I always prepare when I am in need of comfort.  Also - one of my brothers is a truck driver and used to make runs that would bring him by our home.  I would always fix something special for supper for him and tried to make this cake for him.  I would always send a big piece of it with him so he would have some later.  My husband actually likes to eat it in a glass with milk poured over it.  I hope you enjoy it as well.  Just as a warning - it is very rich, but oh so moist!

Wesson Oil Cake

2 cups flour                                                          1 cup buttermilk

2 cups sugar                                                         1 cup Wesson Oil

2 tsp soda                                                            2 eggs

½ tsp salt                                                             1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9 X 13 pan by spraying with Joy or grease and flour the pan.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla; mix well.  Add 1 cup very hot water.  Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 30 – 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched.

Begin preparing the icing about 5 minutes before the cake is done.

Icing

1 stick butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

1/3 cup cocoa

Combine all ingredients in a large skillet (cast iron is the best).  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  I use a whisk at the beginning to be sure all the lumps are out and everything is combined well, then switch to a spoon.  Continue cooking until thick.  Pour over warm cake.

** Because I am an airhead - completely forgot to get a picture of the cake after the pouring the icing over it.  Of course - we had a slight mishap as we were pouring the icing over the cake.  The cast iron skillet is a large one as I doubled the cake and icing recipe.  My husband was helping pour when the pan slipped out of his hands and gouged a piece out of the cake and icing went flying (I really think it might have been a freudian slip as he really wanted a piece of the cake and it was going to a dinner at the church!).  Fortunately, since the icing is just a little thicker than a glaze - it just sort of filled in where the pan fell and no one could tell.  

Anyway - this is truly one of those comfort foods for me!  I adore Wesson Oil Cake and the icing is unlike any I have ever had anywhere else.