Chocolate Friendship Cake with Fudge Icing

This is my new favorite cake.  I mean, I have to stop myself from eating the whole thing by myself.  I ate it for lunch.  Guilty.  But it provided an incredible chocolate fix. Something about the icing and cake combo... drooling just thinking about it. 

It starts with a friendship bread starter, which is super easy.  I started with 1/4 cup each, flour, milk and sugar.  Every 5 days, add another 1/4 cup of each.  (I often forget... not a science... no biggie if you forget).  I did this for 20 days...I  know that seems like an eternity, but it will go fast.  Or you can go here:   friendshipbreadkitchen for a shorter version.  After you make your first recipe, add a 1/2 cup of each (milk, sugar, flour)every 5 days.  Then on every 10th day you can make the bread, cake, pancakes, cinnamon buns or whatever strikes your fancy.  This is a link for a trillion other recipes. friendshipbreadkitchen.  You will use anywhere from a cup to two cups and have leftover to keep it going to make more yummy recipes.  I made waffles with it that were amazing!

Okay, so make the starter, make this cake, with a gallon of milk on standby, and eat the whole thing.  Because you know you want to. 

CHOCOLATE FRIENDSHIP CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING

INGREDIENTS:

• scant 2 cups Amish Friendship Bread Starter 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
•  1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup coconut oil plus 1/2 cup drained applesauce)
•  1 cup sugar 
•  1 large box of chocolate instant pudding
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use mix of oat, unbleached and whole wheat)
•  1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
•  1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, softened

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).  Combine the dry ingredients except chocolate chips in a large bowl and blend well.

Add oil (I use coconut oil and drained applesauce) and sugar to the remaining batter in the bowl. Add eggs and extract, and mix well.

Incorporate dry ingredients into the wet ingredients mixing until no more dry ingredients can be seen.   Mix in chocolate chips.  Grease two large loaf pans or bundt pan.

Dust the greased pans with a mixture of sugar and cocoa powder.  Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans.

Bake for 55-70 or until the cake loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 cups confectioners sugar (or more)
• 1/2 cup milk (can start with 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a small saucepan over low heat, or microwave, melt together the cocoa powder and butter. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl blend 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the butter/cocoa mixture. Whisk in last cup of powdered sugar.  It will be thinner than cake icing, but should not be runny per say.  Add more sugar until consistency you like, and tastes good.  Spread over cooled cake or loaves.