NANNY PATSY’S FAVORITE CHOCOLATE SHORTCAKE

WELLS GREER CANNON currently lives in Castle Rock, Colorado, but he was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and lived there until he was about two and a half years old. His Nanny and Papa Cannon live in Greenville, South Carolina, and his Grandma and Grandpa Klehammer live in Franklin, Tennessee. Nanny, PATSY CANNON, just adores Wells—he is the youngest of her six grandchildren. She loves to talk to Wells on the phone and the computer, calling him her “darling.” Nanny makes this chocolate shortcake every year for Christmas, and it is a big hit with all the grandchildren!

CAKE:

Vegetable shortening to grease the pan(s)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter

½ cup vegetable oil

4 cups cocoa

1 cup water

½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

ICING:

2 cups sugar

 cup evaporated milk

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 (6 ounce) package chocolate chips

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 11 × 17-inch pan or three 9-inch round baking pans.

2 TO MAKE THE CAKE, sift together the flour and sugar in a large bowl.

3 In a saucepan over medium-high heat, mix the butter, oil, cocoa, and water. Bring to a boil; then pour over the sugar and flour mixture. Stir well. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and eggs, and mix well. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes.

4 TO MAKE THE ICING, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for one minute; then turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Spread the icing on the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS.