Chicory Chocolate Cake from the Garden & Gun Club

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and coffee liqueur.

Heat water, butter, vegetable oil, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Watch the cocoa, being careful not to burn it. Remove from heat once it comes to a low boil. Pour liquid over the flour mixture and mix well. Add the egg mixture to batter and mix well.  

Spread batter in a buttered and floured 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place in oven on middle rack. Check it at 15 minutes and rotate.  Total baking time should be about 25 minutes. The cake is done when you can check the center with a cake tester or toothpick and it comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze.  

Make the glaze: Combine the butter, cocoa, espresso, and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a low boil.  Add powdered sugar and keep mixing over heat until there are no lumps. If there are clumps, strain them out and return liquid to saucepan. Keep warming while the cake is baking. You can add the pecans to the glaze right before you glaze the cake.

 

Once the cake is finished, allow to cool for 3–5 minutes. Spoon glaze over the cake while it’s still warm. 

You can eat it warm with ice cream or refrigerate the cake and eat it when it’s cold.  Personally, I think it’s best when the cake is cold. The combination of the glaze on the warm cake creates a fudgy texture when cold. It’s delicious.