Author Faye Porter shares that while her mum, CHARLOTTE LOUISE FERKAN PORTER, isn’t from the South, she is a grandma, a great baker, and has kids that live in the South, so we wanted to include her! Charlotte is known as Grandma to older granddaughters and sisters SOPHIA and OLIVIA PORTER. And she is known as Nama to younger granddaughters and sisters AVA and LILLIAN PORTER. Granddaughter Olivia—who also shares her grandmother’s middle name, Louise—has a particular love of all things chocolate. Charlotte’s husband, four children, and the grandchildren all love this chocolate cake. And it’s just as tasty served warm or cold.
CAKE:
Cooking spray
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk or sour cream
ICING:
½ cup (1 stick) margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 15 × 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
2 TO MAKE THE CAKE, mix together the sugar, flour, and baking soda in a large bowl.
3 In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the margarine, cocoa, and water to a rapid boil. Pour the cocoa mixture over the flour mixture and blend well. Add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix well. Spread onto the jelly-roll pan.
4 Bake for 15 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick.
5 TO MAKE THE ICING, melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa and buttermilk. Bring to a rapid boil. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Let the mixture cool slightly, beating every 15 minutes with a wooden spoon until smooth.
6 Stir in the pecans and spread the icing on the warm cake. Serve warm or cool.
MAKES 24 SERVINGS.