CAKE: 2 cups sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup water 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract FROSTING: 1/4 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons 1/4 cup cocoa 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 1 pound confectioner's sugar (4 cups), sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup coconut flakes (optional)

Cake:

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.

Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and cinnamon, and set aside. Stir together the remaining ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, stirring until you have a smooth, rather thin batter. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake a 400F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Start making the frosting 5 minutes before the cake is finished baking.

Frosting:

Mix the milk and cocoa in a heavy saucepan - stir, stir, stir. Add the butter and, over medium heat, stir until the butter melts. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the pecans and coconut.

When the cake is just out of the oven, make holes all over the top of the cake with a toothpick (this will allow the frosting to melt down into the cake). Spread the frosting evenly on the hot cake. Leave to completely cool.

From: 1970's Southwestern Bell employee cookbook