Chocolate Fudge Cake

We had a blizzard this week! And it was a biggie.....but I'll get to that in a minute.

First I want to talk about Valentine's Day.  What are your plans?  Are you the stay at home type or do you like to dress up for a night on the town? I gave up on going out on Valentine's Day years ago.  My expectations were always too high. We would make big plans and always come home disappointed by an overpriced and over crowed restaurant. In my opinion not worth it.  Now we eat at home, and then go out some other time to celebrate the "holiday".  I put holiday in quotations because my hubby doesn't consider Valentine's Day a real holiday, he just goes along with it just to appease me.  {But let's be real, we girls know it to be true.}  I much prefer a leisurely Sunday breakfast or lunch where we can take our time and not be herded like cattle. 

Nowadays Valentine's Day has taken on a new meaning.  I love writing out valentine's with my son for his friends at school.  It all seems so innocent and lovely.  Just the way it was meant to be. 

Three things about Valentine's day that I do like to abide by: Number one, I always wear pink.  Number two, I like to have fresh flowers even if I buy them myself.  And number three, I have to have something chocolate : )

I made this cake over the weekend while we were snowed in.  I was a little early, but it goes a long way.  And what better to have in the house during a blizzard!

Here goes....

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil:

1 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbs cocoa powder
1 cup water

Sift together:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

Pour chocolate sauce over dry ingredients and mix well. 

Add 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Beat well.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 

While cake is hot frost.  Frost the frosting....

1 stick butter
4 tbs cocoa powder
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1lb box confectionery sugar
1 cup nuts (optional)

Bring butter, cocoa, and buttermilk to a boil and remove from heat.  Add rest of ingredients and frost cake by carefully pouring the hot frosting over the hot cake.  When the frosting cools it will be the consistency of fudge.  Fudge on top of chocolate cake....So good!

We had a snowstorm to beat all snowstorms. It was incredible.  Even more so was the fact that we didn't lose electricity!  It flickered three times (just long enough to make my clocks blink!) but thankfully came right back on every time.  School and work were cancelled on Friday and we were officially snowed in for the weekend.  When all was said and done I had 24 inches of snow outside my house! (you can double click the pictures for a closer view)

See that green box in the bottom right corner?  That's my mailbox! It was completely covered!

It was a winter wonderland and my little one couldn't wait to get outside and play in it!

Unfortunately he found that once he got outside he didn't like it that much.  The snow was too deep to walk in and he kept getting stuck!  After about 20 minutes (which by the way was exactly how long it took to get him suited up for this little outing) he decided that the chocolate cake in the kitchen was more appealing than being outside.

I had to agree! Hubby on the other hand had a lot more snow-blowing to do...xo

It rained today so much of the snow has now turned to slippery slush.  School has been cancelled for the past two days because the sidewalks are still covered and not safe to walk on.  Not the worst storm we've ever seen, but definitely a whopper! 

If you are reading this from somewhere warm and sunny I am jealous of you ; )

Happy Valentines Day! I hope your day is filled with love and happiness AND chocolate!

Danielle xo


PS for more Valentine inspiration check out last year's Valentine's Day post here where I share with you my recipe for chocolate pudding cake.  And also here for all things PINK! one of my most popular posts. 


PSS And just in case you didn't know I'm on twitter.  Please follow my daily musings @heartfelthome24. I keep forgetting to tell you that!

Ok, that's all for now.  RHOBH is on. I just have to.

Bye!