Ingredients

  • For cake
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2/3 cup coffee liqueur
  • For Filling
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • For Frosting
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • water

Method

  • For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
  • Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, making sure there are no lumps.
  • Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
  • Stir in the boiling water. Don't worry if the batter is thin. It's supposed to be that way.
  • Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Once the cakes have cooled, use a fork to poke holes in the tops of the cakes and baste with the coffee liqueur.
  • For the filling: In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour, butter, milk and yolks.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick.
  • Remove from heat and stir in salt, vanilla and pecans.
  • Once the cake and the filling have cooled, spread a thick layer between the cakes.
  • For the frosting: Cream together the sugar, cocoa and butter with an electric hand mixer.
  • Beat in the cream and vanilla.
  • Add small amounts of hot water until desired consistency is reached.
  • Spread over entire cake.