RECIPE JOURNAL: CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE

This is a favorite recipe, given to me by my husband's Aunt Carol. Since Carol and her twin brother (my father-in-law) turn 80 this weekend, I wanted to celebrate by making this cake. We'll just forget the chocolate birthday cake I made yesterday for my husband because bathing suit season is over!

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Cake:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons Hershey's®  Cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's®  Cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups boiling water

Hard Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon milk or brandy (your preference)
1 dash almond extract

CAKE:
Heat oven to 350º F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square glass baking pan. 
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together flour, sugar, 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla. Spread batter evenly in pan.
Combine brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa and sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter. Slowly pour boiling hot water over the batter and brown sugar mixture and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, until top is set. 

HARD SAUCE:
While cake is baking, cream together butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly beat in milk or brandy and the drop of almond essence.

Let cake stand for 5 minutes before spooning into dessert dishes. Serve with hard sauce.

Make sure you have glasses of cold milk ready!