Fudgy Pudgy Cake

Another cake!!  Yes I love to bake, someday I hope to attend school to be a pastry chef but that day is a few years away.  Until then though I will practice making everything that gets my interest, lately that seems to be cakes.  A couple of weeks ago I made this cake.  I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.  It was really really good, and quite easy to make.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

My cake is on the top, but just to do the cake real justice I included the picture from the magazine where I got the recipe.  I also included the recipe below.

Ingredients

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 cup hot water

3/4 cup butter, softened

2-3/4 cups packed brown sugar

3 eggs

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FILLING:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup 2% milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup butter, softened

GLAZE:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/4 cup 2% milk

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Chocolate curls, optional

Directions

In a small bowl, combine cocoa and hot water until smooth; cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir vanilla.

Pour into three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. In a small bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in cooled mixture.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake.

For glaze, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in cocoa until smooth. Add milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. With an electric mixer, beat in confectioners' sugar until blended. Cool for 15-20 minutes; spread over top of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 12-14 servings.