2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup water
3 tbsp. cocoa
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift dry ingredients together twice. In saucepan, put butter, water and cocoa and bring to a boil. Pour this over the dry ingredients. In another bowl, put eggs, soda, buttermilk and vanilla; add to the other mixture and mix well.

Bake in greased and floured shallow cake pan or cookie sheet 20 minutes at 350°F.

Icing:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 tbsp. cocoa
6 tbsp. milk
1 (1 lb.) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix butter, milk and cocoa in pan and bring to a boil; remove from heat and add confectioners' sugar, nuts and vanilla. Pour over cake while warm.