A Red Velvet Holiday

Happy New Year from The Book Pantry! This Christmas dinner, I served a Red Velvet Cake for dessert.  Red Velvet Cake is a southern tradition, although it seems pretty popular elsewhere, too. (And, really, what's not to like?). Mine is loosely based off a recipe for the cake in The Boozy Baker cookbook, to which I've made a few alterations of my own (mainly the type of alcohol and the amount of food coloring). The cream cheese icing recipe is my own, but there's only so many ways to make cream cheese icing, just saying.  This is a delicious and pretty cake sure to impress anyone you happen to serve it to.  Despite my usual low-tech approach to baking (enforced only because I lack toys), this recipe needs a mixer. You cannot mix the cake batter by hand and not over mix, thereby creating a tough cake.

What You'll Need

Supplies

2 nine inch cake pans                                          Measuring cups

Large mixing bowl                                              Measuring spoons

Medium mixing bowl                                           Mixing spoon

Small mixing bowl                                               Long serrated bread knife

Stand mixer                                                         Icing knife/spatula

Whisk                                                                  Cutting board

Cooking spray                                                      Chopping knife

Ingredients for Cake

3 cups cake flour                                                  1 tsp vanilla extract, running over

5 Tbsp cocoa powder                                           1 tsp white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda                                          3 oz red food coloring

1/2 tsp salt                                                           1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup buttermilk                                                2 cups sugar

1/4 cup rum                                                          3 eggs

Ingredients for Frosting

16 oz cream cheese, softened                               2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 sticks butter, softened                                       4 Tbsp vanilla

3 cups pecans

Now Let's Make Red Velvet Cake!

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Time for prep work: Remove your 16 oz of cream cheese and 2 sticks of butter from the refrigerator and set aside to soften until you're ready to do the icing. Also remove your 3 eggs so that they come close to room temperature by the time you need them.  Now, coarsely chop enough pecans to equal 3 cups: that's about 4 handfuls.

Spray your two cake pans with cooking spray.  Pour out a small pile of flour into each pan (click to enlarge photos for an example). Dust the pans with the flour by holding the pan up and tilted and tapping the bottom, rotating the pan as you go to allow a thorough coating.  Once the bottom of the pan is coated, continue this process with the remaining flour around the sides of the pan.  I recommend doing this over the kitchen sink, as it can get a little messy.  Set your coated pans aside.

 

Cocoa Powder! *shakes fist*

In your medium mixing bowl, measure out 3 cups cake flour, 5 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Whisk the ingredients together until they are evenly distributed and there are no large cocoa powder lumps (cocoa powder is sneaky and devious; be thorough in your eradication). Set the dry ingredients aside. 

In your small mixing bowl, measure out 3/4 cup buttermilk (not that non-fat gunk, either; that defeats the purpose of buttermilk), 1/4 cup of rum, 1 tsp vanilla extract (allowing the vanilla to run over into the bowl slightly as you measure), 1 tsp of white vinegar, and 3 oz of red food coloring. Whisk the ingredients together until you have a (very red) smooth liquid mixture.  For a brighter cake add food more food coloring, but be aware that it affects flavor a little.  If you'd like to avoid food coloring altogether, puree 1-2 cooked beets. Keep in mind that the interaction between the buttermilk and the cocoa should achieve a slight red color as it is (woot! Chemistry!). Set the liquid mixture aside.

No shells in this cake!

Place 1 1/2 sticks of butter in your large mixing bowl.  Soften in the microwave if necessary, being careful not to fully melt the butter.  Using your mixer at a low speed (about 2 on mine), beat the 2 cups of sugar into the butter until fluffy. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. I recommend stopping the mixer for each egg addition, so that you can fish out any stray pieces of eggshell that might make their way into the batter. (Remember, an easy way to remove pesky shells is to wet your finger before trying).

Set your mixer to medium-low speed (about 4 on mine, but don't turn it on yet).  For this step you are going to gradually add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, alternating between the two.  You want to do this is partial amounts; I typically wind up with four additions of each.  Start with the flour mixture and end with the buttermilk mixture to achieve the appropriate consistency for your batter. Be careful not to go too slowly and over mix your batter.  Over worked batter will result in a tough, chewy cake. (Blegh!)

Divide the cake batter between your two cake pans, scraping the bowl to get all the good bits. Lightly shake your pans from side to side to settle the batter evenly into the pans.  Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes.  Test the doneness of the cakes by inserting a toothpick (or fork prongs) into the center of the cake. Cakes are done when toothpick comes out clean.  Set cakes aside to cool.

Yes, it's upside down.

Once cakes are mostly cool, remove one cake from pan and place it on your icing station (work area, display, wherever you're planning to ice the cake).  Take your long serrated knife and evenly slice off the curved top of the cake, so that you'll have a flat bottom layer.  Offer the cake top to any circling family members that happen to be around. (Vultures!) Loosen the other cake in the pan, but leave in pan until cakes are completely cool.

Mmmmm... frosting.

While cakes are cooling the rest of the way. Wash out your large mixing bowl, so that you can begin whipping up the frosting.  Place your 16 oz of cream cheese, 2 sticks of butter, 2 cups of confectioner's sugar and 4 Tbsp of vanilla in the (now clean) bowl.  Stir the ingredients together with your mixing spoon until you have a thoroughly blended, smooth frosting. You can flavor the frosting with anything you'd like, simply replace the vanilla with your choice of flavor (lemon juice, more rum, orange liqueur, etc).

Spread some frosting on top of the already stationed cake.  (Do not do this if cake is not yet cool, or you'll have a melty, blobby cake and who wants that?). Smooth the frosting across the surface of the cake until you have a decent layer of frosting.  Remove the other cake layer from its pan and carefully place it centered over the bottom layer.  You can cut the top off this one, too, if you want a flat topped cake, but I never bother. Gently spread frosting over the entire cake, beginning with the top before moving on to the sides.  Try to avoid any bare or translucent spots where the cake shows through.  Once all the frosting is on the cake, smooth it out to make it purty.

Yum!

Now, take your chopped pecans and begin coating your cake.  Start with the top center and work your way outward.  You want some white to show through but don't want any bald spots, so try to be even handed.  "How do you coat the sides?" you ask. I grab a small handful of chopped pecans, get close to the cake and toss/press the nuts into the cake.  This is really messy, so have a broom handy (or a pecan loving dog, either will do).  

Isn't it pretty?!

Now, stand back and admire your handy work!  This cake goes really well with postprandial coffee.

Big thanks to my future step-brother, Stevie, for letting me use his Nikon and helping with the pictures. I'm actually in one! Le gasp.  Also, thank you to my lovely friend Jen for doing the second stage icing, thus preventing me from my annual apoplectic frosting rage.  

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Turkey Day Gorging Part I

As you might have guessed, I cook Thanksgiving dinner in my family.  I love making huge feasts, setting the table with nice stuff and generally enjoying a big family meal.  Oh and the holiday magazines!  I love trying out recipes from magazines (and, you know, using my family as guinea pigs).  Today's featured recipe came out of said holiday magazine (okay, so technically it was on their website!): Grandma Erma's Spirited Cranberry Sauce, submitted by Leslie Sutherland of Fort Worth Texas to Southern Living.  I have long hated cranberry sauce (glaring at the previously canned blob from across the table each Thanksgiving) and been puzzled as to why it was a Thanksgiving staple.  Last year, I wanted to make some from scratch but was talked out of it after being told what a pain in the patootie it was.  This year I stuck to my guns, did my research and found Grandma Erma's delicious cranberry sauce, which is exceedingly nom-worthy.

What You'll Need

Supplies

3 quart saucepan                                                        Blender or Food Processor

Stirring spoon                                                             Air tight storage container

Measuring cups

Ingredients

4 cups fresh cranberries                                             1/2 cup port

2 cups sugar                                                                1/4 cup orange liqueur
3/4 cup water

Now Let's Make Grandma Erma's Spirited Cranberry Sauce!

Please visit the site for the original recipe, linked above; below is my own rendition with details (as usual) based on the cooking experience. 

Begin by measuring out 4 cups of cranberries.  This is about 1 2/3 bags of Oceanspray cranberries; I have a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup, that I filled up to the brim, which is slightly more than 4 cups. (greedy, greedy) Set the cranberries aside.

Cranberries!

In your 3-qt saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup port, and 3/4 cup water, stir until well mixed and sugar has begun to dissolve.  Don't worry too much about the quality of the port, either (unless you want to/can afford to); I used a cheap port picked up in my local grocery store (granted, it was the only one they had...).  Add your cranberries and stir the mixture around a bit.

Heat the mixture over medium high heat. To begin with you will have many more cranberries than liquid, so don't worry. The cranberries will cook down a bit.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.  Cook until the cranberries begin to crack.  The original recipe says to cook for about 8-10 minutes; I found that mine took about 10.  Don't pull it off the heat at the first sign of cracking, let the majority of the cranberries split open first. Once this has happened, remove it from the heat and let it cool at least 15 minutes.

Now pulse!

Once the cranberries have cooled, pour the mixture into your blender or food processor (hold the lid down tightly if you use a blender; ask me how I know). Blend the mixture on a low setting until the cranberries have reached your desired consistency.  This can be pureed, as the original recipe recommends, or you can leave some the cranberries still partially in tact (as I prefer).

Pour this into the storage container, and stir in 1/4 cup of orange liqueur.  Southern Living tested with Grand Marnier, but I used Gran Gala, so I doubt brand matters too much. Seal the container and chill for at least 8 hours before serving.  I made mine two days before the big day. Serve with your favorite feast (or feast leftovers, as the case may be); I know I'll be whipping it up again for Christmas.  This recipe took me for a 180; I now eye cranberry sauce with longing rather than loathing. And, it was super easy, too.

Om nom nom

    Follow @TheBookPantry

So Cheesy!

Tonight I was waffling a little about what to cook for my blog post - not really having anything in mind.  But, I did have a can of Campbell's cheese that needed to get used. (I'm not too sure why I bought it to begin with).  So, this is something I just came up with on the fly based one what I had handy, and it's super easy, too!  Fun stuff.

What You'll Need

Supplies

Cutting board                                                                Skillet

Knife                                                                             Spoon

Small pot                                                                       Measuring cups

Ingredients

Package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts             Thyme

1 cup rice                                                                       Olive oil

1 can Campbell's cheese                                               Salt and pepper

Small yellow onion                                                         1/2 tsp minced garlic

Now Let's Make Cheesy Chicken and Rice

To begin, measure out 2 cups of water and pour it into your pot.  Set the stove to high and boil the water.  Once the water begins to boil, pour in your 1 cup of rice.  Stir briefly, and cover.  Reduce the heat to low (which is actually about 3 on my lovely stove), and let the rice cook.  You can check the rice occasionally and give it a little stir, but otherwise you can pretty much ignore it until it's done.

Sizzle

Now, peel and dice your onion. To make peeling easier, cut the very ends off either side of the onion first.  Once your onion is diced up (and you've wiped your streaming eyes), pour a dollop of olive oil into your skillet.  This dollop should be about the size of your palm as it spreads out (the oil, not your palm). Set the heat to medium, and allow the oil to heat a bit.  Once the oil has heated, scrape your onions in, and begin to saute, moving the onions around the pan occasionally.

Chicken!

While your onions are sauteing, get back to your cutting board and begin cubing the chicken.  One breast at a time (your pack should have about three), trim the fat off and slice the chicken into small bite-size pieces.  Set this aside, and return to tending the onions.  Once the onions are cooked through and have reached a semi-translucent soft state, add the chicken to the pan.  If things are a bit dry and you need to add a touch more olive oil to the pan, do so before adding the chicken.  Saute the chicken until all sides have turned white and chicken is cooked through. 

Mmmmmm... cheese.

Now, open your can o' cheese and spoon it into the pan, reducing heat to a medium-low setting.  Stir the cheese in until it is thoroughly mixed with the chicken and onions.  Add a couple dashes of thyme and the garlic.  Stir this in well and add salt and pepper to taste.  I find that the cheese is not particularly salty, so don't be too afraid.

Once everything is heated through, serve the rice and cheesy chicken together and enjoy!  A few alternative things I would like to do with this recipe:

Noms

• I would add some steamed broccoli when I add the cheese.  Why didn't I do this, you ask.  Because, my cousin Katie (see photo) is visiting for Thanksgiving and hates all things vegetable.  When I suggested broccoli she looked at me like I had killed Bambi.
• I would mix the cheesy chicken (and broccoli) with the rice, slap it into a 9x9 casserole dish, sprinkle some shredded cheese on top and bake it at 350F for a little bit. 

B-broccoli!?

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Where's the Rum Gone?

Into rum balls, of course (and, no, I can't help my dorky references to things)!  This is by far one of my favorite holiday season treats, and since I'm gearing up for my annual holiday baking frenzy (*twitch*), I thought I'd share with all of you.  I used to make these with my mom around Christmas, and it's a recipe that she used to do with her parents. It's quite the family tradition.  And if rummy chocolate goodness isn't enough of a reason to make these, they're also super-easy.

What You'll Need

Supplies

Large mixing bowl                                                          Measuring spoons

Mixing spoon                                                                   Small bowl

Measuring cups (liquid and dry)                                    Cookie sheet
Cutting board                                                                  Knife for chopping

Ingredients

1 box Vanilla wafers                                                       2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup pecans                                                                    2 Tbsp Karo's light corn syrup

1 cup confectioner's sugar + some for rolling                1/4 cup rum

Now Let's Make Rum Balls!

Haley smash!

We'll start with a little prep work.  Put a handful of vanilla wafers into a sandwich baggie. Press out all the air, and crush the cookies by using a rolling pin. (Or, if you're short a rolling pen at the moment, anything that's handy, like your cookbook). You don't have to crush them to powder, but you don't want any large chunks of cookies, either.  Once you've crushed them, pour the crumbs into a measuring cup.  Repeat the process until you have 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.  A handful of wafers equals about 1/2 cup of crumbs, so you won't be using the entire box of vanilla wafers (so feel free to munch on a few). Add the crumbs to your mixing bowl once you have the required amount.

Demonstrating the lever motion

Next, put a handful of pecans on your cutting board and begin chopping them up.  I find a large knife works better for this, and you can rock it back and forth or use it with a lever motion to most effectively chop the nuts. (Whatever your method, just watch your fingers). Like the wafers, you don't want the nuts to get chopped too fine, but you don't want any large chunks either.  Chop enough pecans to make 1 cup and add them to your mixing bowl.

Now, add 2 Tbsp cocoa powder and 1 cup confectioner's sugar to your mixing bowl.  Stir the ingredients around a bit.  Then, add 2 Tbsp of Karo's light corn syrup (no Southern girl worth her salt would use anything else) and 1/4 cup of rum.  The brand of rum isn't important, but don't use anything spiced or flavored; just plain rum, thanks.

Mix this up until it's nice and goopy.  You'll have to really work at it, since it's a fairly dry recipe.  Your end product will be on the sticky side rather than the liquidy side.  Make sure to routinely scrape the sides of the bowl and fold over the dough to ensure a thorough mix.  The dry ingredients will want to stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Set the dough aside.

Fill your small bowl with cold water.  Dip your fingers in the water to wet them, then take a pinch of the dough and form it into a small ball. The ball should be about the size of a large olive (according to my grandmother's recipe, which sounds a little snooty to me). When formed, place the ball on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Repeat this process until all the dough has been used, neatly lining the balls up on the sheet.  Make sure to periodically wet your fingers, as this will make forming the dough easier and prevent it from sticking too much to your hands. Place the cookie sheet of rum balls in the freezer until they are firm (about 30 minutes to an hour).

Rolling

Dump the water out of your small bowl and dry it thoroughly.  Fill the bowl with a small amount of confectioner's sugar (about 1/4 cup) for the rum balls to be rolled in.  (You can also use chocolate sprinkles if you prefer, but if you do you'll need to do this step before freezing). Remove the rum balls from the freezer and, one by one, roll them in the confectioner's sugar.  Place the finished rum balls in a sealable container as you go.

Refrigerate the rum balls until you are ready to serve them.  These are great around the holidays, and make for an excellent homemade Christmas gift.  This recipe can easily be adjusted to make rum balls in bulk. (I've been known to do quadruple batches).  As is, it make about 34 rum balls.  Enjoy!

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It's the Great Pumpkin . . . Pie, That Is!

Continuing with our Halloween themed posts, this weekend's food post features pumpkin pie. Because any other Halloween themed food post just wouldn't be right without pumpkin pie. Or, you know, pumpkin at the very least. I don't make mine completely from scratch, instead I tend to use Libby's canned pumpkin. But if you want to do yours that way, get 1 sugar pumpkin. Scrape out all the innards (also known as seeds) and set them aside for toasting. Then scrape or cut the flesh of the pumpkin away from the outer shell and cook it until mashable. Voila!

What You'll Need

Supplies

Large mixing bowl                                                          Measuring cups

2 glass pie plates                                                            Measuring spoons

Mixing spoon

Ingredients

2 cans pumpkin pie filling (30 oz)                                  2 tsp cinnamon 

2 cans evaporated milk (24 oz)                                      1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar                                         1/2 tsp ground ginger

4 eggs                                                                              1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 pie shells                                                                      1/4 tsp ground cloves

Now Let's Make Pumpkin Pie

The great thing about this recipe is that it is super easy.  Ridiculously so (this is going to be a really short post, guys. What? Stop cheering!). Start by preheating your oven to 425F; don't forget, cause you definitely have to preheat on this one.

Line your pie plate with the pie crusts. (Again, I harbor a special loathing for doing pie crusts from scratch, so I did Pillsbury). Try to get the crust centered in the plate before you press it down and to the edges.  This will make doing the edges a lot easier.  Fold the excess pie crust into the shell and press into the sides.  This should create a smooth edge right at the rim of the pie plate.  Then, go around the pie plate and pinch the crust between your fingers, forming a small peak.  Repeat this process all around the pie shell, spacing your peaks evenly about a finger width apart.

Set your crusts aside and break out your large mixing bowl.  Now, I like to mix the filling one pie at a time, so that's what the instructions will do here, essentially halving the ingredients listed above. However, you're welcome to try it as is (that ups your chances of unevenly filled pies, though, and who wants that?). Add to your bowl 1 can (15 oz) of pumpkin pie filling and  1 can (12 oz) of evaporated milk (which is never as "evaporated" as I expect). Now measure out 3/4 cup of light brown sugar, making sure it's firmly packed into your measuring cup, and add it to the bowl.  Add two eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and 1/8 tsp ground cloves.  Mix all this up well, making sure that the spices are thoroughly blended and there are no pumpkin filling lumps.   Pour the filling into one of your pie shells.  Rinse your bowl and repeat for the other shell. (Yes, I know that first picture is less than appetizing).

Bake the pies at 425F for 15 minutes. Go ahead and set a kitchen timer, since this really isn't one you can eyeball. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350F and bake for an additional 40 minutes.  These pies should rise as they bake, so don't worry if the center becomes higher than the level of the pie plate; this is normal.  Remove pies from oven and set aside to cool. The pies may not seem firm when removed, but the center will set as they cool.  Serve warm with whipped cream, or store pies in refrigerator. (But until then, enjoy the before and after shots below)

"I want my pumpkin pie!"

This particular version is a fairly light, very (delightfully) creamy, not overly sweet pumpkin pie. Also, the subtle spicing balance flavors the pie while still allowing the pumpkiny taste to shine. It's the perfect after Thanksgiving dinner dessert.  And also, you have some very easy and yummy pumpkin pies with which to impress your friends!

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Good with Food!

Or so Coca-Cola advertisements once told us.  Tonight's food posting features another classically southern recipe: Coca-Cola cake.  If you live/ were raised in the South and have somehow missed out the sheer, blissful deliciousness that is Coca-Cola Cake, then you have been jipped, cheated, deprived even (I'm looking at you Mom and Dad).  But not to worry, because you can rectify that problem now!  I got this recipe, with some minor adjustments and expansions of my own, from the discussion guide for Mark Childress's Georgia Bottoms (which suspiciously resembles one on several recipe sites. I wonder who copied whom).  Although, I had to figure out the frosting for myself since the recipe simply tells you to use Coca-Cola frosting (Gee, thanks).

What You'll Need

Supplies

Electric mixer                                                               1 knife for chopping

2 small mixing bowls                                                   Cutting board

1 medium mixing bowl                                                 13 x 9 casserole dish

Mixing spoon                                                                Whisk
Small Saucepan                                                            Small cooking spoon

Ingredients for Cake

1 cup Coca-Cola                                                            1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk                                                        2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour                                                2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup cocoa                                                                1 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows

1 tsp baking soda                                                          1 cup pecans, chopped

2 sticks butter, softened (1 cup)

Ingredients for Frosting

1 stick butter  16 oz powdered sugar                            16 oz confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup Coca-Cola                                                         1 Tbsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp cocoa

Now Let's Make Coca-Cola Cake

Before we get down to the nitty gritty, let me make a quick note (veiled threat) about ingredients.  First, use real vanilla extract not the fake stuff (blegh!). Second, and most importantly, don't you dare use Diet Coke; it is not the same, so suck it up and deal with the calories (notice, I'm not even considering the possibility that someone might use Pepsi; you wouldn't do that, right? Right.)

Now whisk! Whisk, I said!

Start by preheating the oven to 350F.  In one of your small bowls, mix together 1 cup Coca-Cola and 1/2 cup buttermilk.  Set this aside.  In the other small bowl combine 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 1 tsp baking soda.  Whisk these together until there are no lumpy bits (doesn't that sound tasty!). If you don't have a whisk handy, you can always use a fork; it'll take a little longer, but don't sweat the small stuff.

Creamy butter

Add 2 sticks of butter to your large mixing bowl. If the butter hasn't gotten soft yet, microwave it for about 20-30 seconds.  The trick is to get the butter soft but not melted.  Beat the butter at a low speed with your electric mixer until creamy (or if you are lacking a mixer, go to your Da's house to use his, like me. *hint, hint*).  Since I think that all soft butter is kind of creamy, I have thoughtfully provided you with a photo of this step.  Sweet? I know.

Still mixing at a low speed, begin gradually adding the 1 1/2 cups sugar.  Beat until well-blended and kind of fluffy.  Crack your two eggs into the bowl. If you get some egg shell in there, just wet your finger and pull it out; that way you don't have to chase the shell around the bowl for 5 minutes (ask me how I know, heh heh).  Add 2 tsp of vanilla, letting it run over a little as you measure it out for extra tastiness.  Beat eggs and vanilla into butter mixture at a low speed until thoroughly blended.

Begin adding the flour mixture and the Coca-Cola mixture to the batter, blending at a low speed.  Alternate between the two as you add, but make sure you begin and end with the flour mixture.  This is particularly important since the Coke, which makes the cake tender and fluffy, will also make your batter somewhat mealy until the next addition of dry ingredients (which looks a little funky, I know).  Make sure that each addition is well-blended before adding more.

Remove the large mixing bowl from the mixer.  Measure out 1 1/2 cups of marshmallows, packing them down nice and tight as you do so (what can I say, I like marshmallows).  Add them to the batter, and stir them in with your mixing spoon.  Do NOT try to blend the marshmallows in with the mixer.  As you stir, make sure the marshmallows get mixed evenly throughout your batter; you don't want a concentration of marshmallows anywhere.

Pour the batter into a greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish or pan.  Scrape the bowl thoroughly to get as much battery goodness into the cake as possible (let's not be wasteful, y'all), and spread the batter into the pan until all parts are even.  It's a thick batter, so you'll probably have to do a lot of scraping and spooning.  Bake the cake at 350F for 30-40 minutes.  When the cake is done a knife inserted into the middle will come out clean.

Sticky goodness

While the cake is cooling a bit, start preparing your Coca-Cola Frosting.   Cut one stick of butter into chunks into your small saucepan. Add the 1/3 cup Coca-Cola and 3 Tbsp cocoa. Heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the frosting comes to a light boil.  Remove from heat and whisk in the confectioner's sugar and 1 Tbsp vanilla.  Again, if you don't have a whisk, and fork will do fine.

No cake picture for you!

Chop up some pecans into coarse pieces until you have 1 cup. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the cake. Then, pour the frosting over your cake, spreading it evenly over the top of the cake so that it reaches all the edges and there are no bare bits.  This way your pecans get frosted, too.  However, if you prefer, you can frost the cake and then add the pecans. Both are equally tasty options. The longer the frosted cake sits, the more you'll notice the top of the frosting hardening a bit.  This is normal.

This cake is not a lie.

Let the cake cool for about 10-15 more minutes. Cut the cakes into squares and serve! My picture isn't as pretty as usual, because I got excited and cut the cake a little to soon.  Thus, my square didn't stay geometric, and went plop instead.  Still nommy! Now, where are my leftovers?

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