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

Melt in a heavy saucepan the butter, cocoa and water. Blend together the dry ingredients and combine with the cocoa mixture. Mix together the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla; blend with the mixture above.

Pour into a slightly greased and floured 9x13-inch cake pan and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or bake in a jelly roll pan for 20 minutes.

Make icing while cake is baking and ice cake still in the pan while cake and icing both are warm.

Note: This cake freezes well, or it can be stored in the refrigerator and will stay moist if kept covered.

ICING:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 heaping tbsp. cocoa
3 or 4 tbsp. half and half cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter and cocoa in a heavy saucepan. Add cream and heat. Add remaining ingredients mixing well. Pour over cake while still warm in pan.