Chocolate Fudge Pound Cake

This rich fudge cake makes a great finish to any meal. Add some vanilla ice cream to tame the richness.

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 3 cups flour
• 2 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 5 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Fudge Icing:
• 1 stick butter
• 4 tbsp milk
• 3 heaping tbsp cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 pound powdered sugar

Directions:

Cake: Mix softened butter, vegetable oil and sugar on medium speed with mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then add vanilla. Combine flour, salt, cocoa and baking powder in a small bowl. Add to butter mixture, one cup at a time, alternating with partial cup of milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat very well between milk and flour additions. Beat well on medium high before pouring into prepared tube or bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Test for doneness in center of cake. Icing: Place butter, milk and cocoa over low heat and bring to slow boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat right away and add vanilla. Slowly stir in powdered sugar to get to a thick, glossy consistency. Cool cake before serving.

Number of Servings: 10-12

Notes from the Cook: When making the icing, you may need more sugar than the one pound it calls for. I frequently do. Keep adding until the icing seems almost too thick to spread on the cake. If you don't thicken it quite a bit, it will drip off the cake. If you get the icing too stiff or it gets too hard before you can get the whole cake iced, add a little milk in and make it spreadable again.