While looking for something in my email archives today, I found this link in an old email from my mom (2005)::
Better Homes & Gardens recipe from Mom:"Dee, found this on line and it is the same recipe that you used to eat as a child. I never put walnuts into mine, as we were poor, but you could if you liked. Also, I used to just sprinkle the brown sugar-cocoa mixture over the cake and then pour the hot water over the whole thing before baking. It is just called Brownie Pudding in my old cookbook. Enjoy!!"
She knows how nostalgic I can be about my childhood and all the wonderful foods she made for me - and taught me to make.
This recipe brings back memories of dark fall and winter Sunday
nights, where we were all cozy and snug in our warm house. After a
home-cooked meal of delicious comfort food, we'd sit around the TV
and watch Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and The Wonderful World of
Disney and if we were very lucky, we'd get a bowl of this.
Makes: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Prep: 15 mins
Cool: 45 mins
Bake: 40 mins 350°F
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease
an 8x8x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together
the flour, granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, the
baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir in
the walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa
powder. Stir in the boiling water. Slowly pour brown sugar mixture
over batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack
and cool for 45 to 60 minutes. Serve warm. Spoon cake into dessert
bowls; spoon pudding from the bottom of the pan over cake. If
desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.