Chocolate Eclairs-Daring Baker Style!

I am super excited about the August challenge for the Daring Bakers! Our hosts for this month are Meeta from What's for lunch honey? and Tony Tahhan. The two of them chose the recipe from Chocolate Desserts from Pierre Herme written by Dorie Greenspan, so you know that it has to be good!

I had tried to make eclairs a long, long time ago and my Pate a Choux dough did not turn out as planned, so I never tried again, until now. This is probably my favorite DBer challenge so far! I absolutely love them!! And just let me tell you about the chocolate pastry cream! Just let me go on the record to say, you can't stop eating it!! I licked the bowl clean. Delicious!

Under the motto, and my new one by the way, Culinary Liberty For All, we were given leeway to be creative, but I really couldn't get past the chocolate cream with chocolate glaze. I just stuck to the recipe as is.

My start to finish time took right at 2 hours, but the finish time means the time that I ate one! So, in a couple of hours, you have a wonderful dessert! I decided to make mini eclairs and a few cream puffs. And for the record, they didn't last more than a day in my house!

Thanks for a great challenge!! Now, on to the next one!

Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Éclairs

Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• Cream Puff Dough (see below for recipe), fresh and still warm

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.

2) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough.Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 41/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers.Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff.The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs.

3) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.

Notes:

1) The éclairs can be kept in a cool, dry place for several hours before filling.

Assembling the éclairs:

• Chocolate glaze (see below for recipe)

• Chocolate pastry cream (see below for recipe)

1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.

2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.

3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.

Notes:

1) If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water,stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not stir too vigorously as you do not want to create bubbles.

2) The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.

Pierre Hermé’s Cream Puff Dough

Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé(makes 20-24 Éclairs)

• ½ cup (125g) whole milk

• ½ cup (125g) water

• 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

• ¼ teaspoon sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour

• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil.

2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.

3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your handmixer or if you still have the energy, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time,beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough.You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs as directed above.

Notes:

1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.

2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Chocolate Pastry Cream Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé

• 2 cups (500g) whole milk

• 4 large egg yolks

• 6 tbsp (75g) sugar

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

• 7 oz (200g) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Velrhona Guanaja, melted

• 2½ tbsp (1¼ oz: 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1) In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan.

2) Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture.Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture.

3) Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat).Stir in the melted chocolate and then remove the pan from the heat.

4) Scrape the pastry cream into a small bowl and set it in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixture at this point so that it remains smooth.

5) Once the cream has reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments. Return the cream to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. The cream is now ready to use or store in the fridge.

Notes:

1)The pastry cream can be made 2‐3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

2) In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.

3) Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé(makes 1 cup or 300g)

• 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream

• 3½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature

• 7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature

1)In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.

2) Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce.

Notes:

1) If the chocolate glaze is too cool (i.e. not liquid enough) you may heat it briefly
 in the microwave or over a double boiler. A double boiler is basically a bowl sitting over (not touching) simmering water.

2) It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made, but if you are pressed for time, you can make the glaze a couple days ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bring it up to the proper temperature (95 to 104 F) when ready to glaze.

Chocolate Sauce Recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé (makes 1½ cups or 525 g)

• 4½ oz (130 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 1 cup (250 g) water

• ½ cup (125 g) crème fraîche, or heavy cream

• 1/3 cup (70 g) sugar

1)Place all the ingredients into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens.

2) It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.

Notes:

1) You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for two weeks. Reheat the sauce in a microwave oven or a double boiler before using.

2) This sauce is also great for cakes, ice-cream and tarts.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These have got to be the easiest cookies I have ever made, just 3 ingredients and you have yummy, peanut butter cookies!!

If you haven't heard of Operation Baking Gals, you really need to check it out. Susan of She's Becoming Doughmesstic came up with the idea after her brother in law was in need of some homemade goodies. This is round 2 and there are 7 hostesses this month. I signed up with Stephanie of Steph Chows and we are sending a ton of cookie love to LT Eric Olsen and his crew who are currently serving on the USS Abraham Lincoln. I know that they are going to be excited!

Peanut Butter Cookies:

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix the peanut butter, sugar and egg together until well blended. Roll into balls, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball by using a fork to make a criss cross pattern.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Taste Like Home, the Round Up

Megan has posted the roundup. Go and check out all of the goodies that everyone recieved! If you have recieved your package, please write a post and let us know. :)

Congo Bars

My life has been really crazy this week and I needed something quick and easy to throw together for a cookout on Saturday and these bars were the first thing that popped into my mind. Everyone loved them, and are made with ingredients that you should already have on hand.

Congo Bars:

1 3/4 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 (12 oz) pkg of semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream together the melted butter and brown sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time and mix for 2 minutes. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased 9X13 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely and cut into squares.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

I saw this recipe on a forum that I am a member, and it was originally made with raspberries, but for some reason cranberries popped into my mind and sounded really good with this recipe. And I was right. I had some cranberries in the freezer and this was a perfect way to use them. But, I really didn't realize that cranberries would float in batter! I love these and have eaten 1 every morning for breakfast. I like the tartness of the cranberries with the cream cheese and sweetness of the muffin. The hubby does not like cranberries, but liked the muffin and thought they would be good with blueberries. I bet they would!

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

3 ounces cream cheese

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

1 c. milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 Tbsp. butter

2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the muffin tins or line with paper cups. In a small bowl, beat together until smooth the cream cheese with one egg, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, butter, and one tsp vanilla. Stir over medium heat until the butter melts. Cool until warm to the touch, then beat in the remaining two eggs. In large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Add the milk mixture and stir just to blend. Fold in the cranberries. Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. Spoon about 2 tsp cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin. Pull knife through each top to swirl slightly. Bake about 20 minutes or until top springs bake when lightly touched.

Nut Pies for Blake!

These are little Pecan Tassies, or in my house knows as nut pies. Blake has always called pecan pie this, I am not really sure why though. He loves this pie and every Thanksgiving and Christmas my parents always buy 2 frozen pecan pies and gives 1 to him. So, it really was no surprise that this week when I asked him what he would like to bake, it was nut pie. Then he asked if he could make mini nut pies so that he could take them in his lunch to school.

These little tassies are really easy to make and quick to throw together. They are perfect if you need a finger food to take somewhere.

Pecan Tassies:

Tart Shells:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup all purpose flour

Filling:
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For tart shells, beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add flour, mix until a soft dough forms. (Blake did this in the KA with the paddle attachment.)

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place into ungreased cups of mini muffin pan. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the muffin cups.

For filling, mix melted butter with the brown sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Add the pecans and mix.

Fill each tart shell with filling, do not overfill. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven, cool in pan for 3 minutes. Transfer tassies from muffin tin to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen.

Chocolate Pecan Biscotti

This months Cookie Carnival recipe was supposed to be Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti. However, I can't find hazelnuts here, so I used what I had on hand, pecans. This was a first for me for making biscotti, and if I am being honest, I really didn't like this recipe. I really like biscotti with my coffee, but for some reason, this one wasn't my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn it down if it was offered to me, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it either. I am glad that I tried it, so now I know that have tried this recipe. Thanks Kate for choosing a recipe to broaden my baking skills!

Chocolate Hazelnut (Pecan) Biscotti

1 1/2 cups hazelnut, toasted (pecans)

3 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Grind 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts in processor. Set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in another large bowl to blend. Add eggs and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well blended. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in 1 cup whole toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece on baking sheet into 2 1/2 inch wide by 14 inch log. Place logs on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart (logs will spread during baking). Bake until logs feel firm when tops are gently pressed, about 35 minutes. cool logs on baking sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Using long wide spatula, transfer baked logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut warm logs crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.

Arrange slices, cut side down, on 2 baking sheets. Bake biscotti until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. (Biscotti can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.)

Starting off the school year....

Yesterday was the first day of school for my kids. Shane went on to 7th, Blake 5th and Abby in the 3rd. When I really stop to think about how fast time is going, it depresses me a little. To think that this past year flew by, and it seems like the kids just got out of school and now, they are a year older and starting back to school.

To me, when school starts back I think fall, even though it is still near 90 degrees here. Buying schools supplies, high school football, then labor day. The leaves start changing and the darkness of night comes earlier. So one of the first things that I think of when I think of fall is apples. I love going apple picking, making apple butter or whatever...but that is what I think of.

A coworker brought me these little green apples from her apple tree in her yard. Luckily, there were no worms! I had a ton of things that I wanted to make with them, so I halved them and made half apple butter and the other half jam.


The recipe that I used called it Caramel Apple Jam, but really I think that I will call it Apple Pie Jam. I really don't taste any caramel, but it does taste like a great fried apple pie filling. The hardest part of this was peeling and slicing those tiny little apples, but it was well worth it!

Apple Pie Jam

6 cups peeled and diced apples
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp butter
3 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix all of the ingredients into a large pot. Stir them until all combined. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Cook the jam until it reached 220 degrees. (see my note at the bottom) Pour into jars and top with lid. Flip the jars on their lids to cool. The jars should be sealed when completely cooled.

Some of my jams have been really thick when I cook to this degree, so with this jam I cooked for 20 minutes then I used the frozen plate method. You freeze a plate, then put a little bit on the plate, stick it back in the freezer for a few seconds then check the consistency of it. If it is not as thick as you want continue to cook the jam in 5 minute increments until you get it the consistency you want. I cooked this jam for 20-25 minutes.

Abby bakes Key Lime Pie!

Abby decided this week that she wanted to make key lime pie. I was really excited about it, because I love it, but the hubby was even more excited. This has to be his favorite dessert, other than strawberry shortcake!

Have you ever tried to juice and zest a key lime? They are tiny! Abby squeezed the whole bag of key limes to get 1/2 cup of juice and it took about 4 key limes to get 1 Tbsp of zest. But it was worth it in the end. It is a great tasting pie!

We will make this pie again and again. It is really that good!

Abby's Key Lime Pie:

1 9in. graham cracker pie shell--we used store bought

1/2 cup key lime juice

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp key lime zest

4 large egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix all 4 ingredients until combined. Pour into graham cracker pie shell and bake for 15-17 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then put into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

**If you make your own graham cracker crust, make sure to bake it first before you pour in the filling.**

Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies

My favorite book series are from Joanne Fluke, the Hannah Swenson Mysteries and I have read all except the latest one. I really like good murder mysteries and this series satisfies that for me. A plus in each of these books are that they have the recipes included, for whatever is in the story line.

This cookie recipe is from the first book, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, and they did not disappoint! If you like a good murder mystery this is a great series to read!

Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies:

1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups crushed corn flakes
1-2 cups chocolate chips (I used 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter, add the sugars and stir. Add soda, salt, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Mix well. Then add flour and stir it in. Add crushed corn flakes and chocolate chips and mix it all thoroughly.

Form dough into walnut-sized balls with your fingers (I used my cookie scooper) and place on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. Press them down with a floured or greased fork in a crisscross pattern. (I am not sure what this does, because my cookies spread enough that you couldn't see the crisscross pattern.)

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack until completely cooled.

Taste Like Home...or New York!

A few weeks ago, I co-hosted this even with Megan of Megan's Cookin. Those who signed up were paired up with someone and you exchanged local goodies from your area. I was lucky enough to me paired up with Stephanie at Stephchows, who is from Rochester, NY!

Stephanie included a very sweet letter that explained all of the goodies she included. One of the things that she talked about was a white hotdog..weird. I didn't get them, but she says that they are the phenomenon there, completely made from pork and literally white. If I am ever up that way, I will definitely have to try them. I am sure that my kids would enjoy them! Stephanie also told me about sponge candy. Evidently, you can only get it when the humidity is low, so...I just think that gives me another reason to go there! Well, lets get on with the package...

What a great package! See the printout at the bottom? It is for a recipe for a thing called the "garbage plate", come to find out, it is a huge thing with college kids after a night of drinking. I just don't know if I could make myself do it! There is also 2 bags of candy from Stever's Candy. A bag of Salt Water Taffy, since she is an original Jersey girl, and a bag of crunchy gummy bears that she threw in for the kids! They are loving them! Let me break down the package!

Here are 2 mini bottles of wine, one white and one blush wine from Bully Hill Winery. It has a screw top instead of a cork, and has a very fun history! Go and check them out at www.bullyhill.com.

Next there was a bottle of Dinosaur BBQ sauce, which came from a biker style restaurant and people come from all over to it their BBQ. This will be great on the ribs for dinner! Just another reason why I need to go and visit! And yes, that is a car freshener that looks like sushi. I haven't opened it yet, afraid of what it smells like! Ha!

Here we have bottle of some great looking honey, and a bottle of Apple cider molasses rub that came from a local organic farm. I can't wait to try it on grilled chicken or pork chops! There was also a back of organic popcorn! This will be great for movie night with the kids!

Stephanie also sent me a ton of visitor pamphlets, so I will know exactly what to do once I get there!

Thanks again Stephanie for the great package and giving me a virtual tour of Rochester!!

My little rant for the day!

So, yesterday, my kiddos and I take a trip to the library..do you guy remember going when you were younger and the library filled with books? Well, here, they are not like that anymore. Half empty shelves, that should be filled with books....anyways, that is not my rant. Well, maybe it is part of it, but on to the real reason. I am in the cooking section, what there is of it, and see the Martha Stewart Baking, so, I get it to check out and take home. So, last night, I am flipping pages, one by one, and see that someone had ripped out a page!! I flip and few more, and another page ripped out! Why would someone do that? Just go and copy the page if you want the recipe that bad! Ok, just had to vent a little!

Hope you guys are having a great day!!!

Countdown until Christmas already?

Today while blog surfing, I can across a banner that is counting down the days until Christmas, 142 days to be exact. I just can't bring myself to start counting down myself. Although, it did get me thinking. Do you make homemade gifts? And if you do, what are some things that you make? I would really like to get some new ideas!

Back from Vacation and a chocolate cake!

Well, we are back from the beach. I am missing it already! We had a ton of fun and the first day that we were there we saw 2 sharks about 10-15 feet from us! That really made me nervous, especially since we were watching Shark week on TV each night! The weather was gorgeous except for the last 2 days we were there and it was rainy. Here is the ocean the first of the week that we were there..

See how blue/green and calm...the only thing wrong with this, is that it was filled with this....

Do you see the striped ones? Those were some mean jellyfish! Abby got stung by them twice. And the blue one? I was told that it was a man-o-war? and that they are poisonous. Luckily, no one was stung by one of those. There were so many jellyfish, the kids made a game out of it..see who could get the most! Now, the picture below shows the end of the week, see how green and and rough? There are never waves like this in the gulf! We stayed in Seagrove Beach, which is half way between Panama city and Destin, FL. The last 2 days the beaches in Panama City were closed because there were 6 drownings and 40 rescues because of the rip currants.
Oh, and here are my babies...right after dinner at Pineapple Willies... (We didn't like it too much, a complete waste of a $63 meal!)

Now on to the chocolate cake! Normally on Monday, one of my kids would post their baking project for the week. This week would have been Abby, but since we were gone and didn't bake anything last week, we will pick up again next Monday. I'm not sure what she will pick yet. But, yesterday was Jamey's birthday and we can't go a birthday around here without a cake, and what better cake to try than the recipe that I got with my Askinosie chocolate, right? Well, I normally don't like a cake naked. I have to have the frosting...well, are you sitting down? This cake does not need anything to go with it. In fact, I probably would have like it better without the frosting! And now, I am an Askinosie convert! It is so good!! This cake is probably the best chocolate cake that I have ever had! You definitely have to make it!

Do you notice the darkness in the middle? That is the moist part that melts in your mouth! Needless to say, we cut this cake last night, and when I got home from work today, it is completely gone!! I guess I am going to have to make another one!

Askinosie Chocolate Cake:

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 Tbsp (heaping)Askinosie cocoa powder

1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 pan. (I used a bundt pan)

Mix sugar and flour together in a large mixing bowl, set aside. Melt butter in a small pan on the stove. Add vegetable oil, cocoa and water. Bring to a boil. Pour cocoa mixture into sugar/flour mixture. Mix for 5 minutes. Add buttermilk, vanilla, salt, baking soda and eggs and mix again until thoroughly combined. Pour into baking pan, bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cake cool completely before serving.

I am not going to type up the recipe for the frosting, because I prefer it without it. But, if you really want it, you can find it here.