Judy's picnic cake recipe

2 cups of flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 cup butter, 3 1/2  tablespoons  cocoa,  1 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk  ( or add a little vinegar to milk to sour it)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

Mix flour, sugar, and baking soda together well with a spoon.  Before doing that, melt the butter, cocoa, and water just till boiling  (stir now and then and dont't cook on high or it will stick).   Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix well with mixer.  Then add the buttermilk and  vanilla and mix well.  Now add the eggs and mix well.  (If you add the eggs sooner, they may cook because  of the hot liquid.)    Pour in a large shallow pan  (Mine is 10 1/2 by 15 )  Probably a jelly roll pan may be too shallow.  Bake approx. 30 min. at 350 degrees.  I check it at around 20, so that it doesn't overcook, but so that it is done and springs back when touched.

Five minutes before done, start the frosting.

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), or margarine;  1/3 cup scant milk (not sour), and 3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa      Cook this mixture just to a gentle boil.  (Use the same pan as before saves cleaning and works fine)

1 pound powdered sugar (3 1/2 cups)   Place in small mixing bowl  and add the liquid and mix well 

1 tsp vanilla is then added and  then add 3/4 cup  chopped nuts.

Pour immediately over the cake and let cool

Sounds like a lot of work, but most of this is explanation and it goes rapidly, since the liquids are cooking while you assemble.