Chocolate Icing

This is a great icing. It's thin enough to spread easily, especially on the sides of a cake, but can still be layered thickly on top. It can be cooked in a double boiler but comes out even better (and quicker) in the microwave!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 cup milk (whole milk is preferred but 2% is OK)
1 cup leftover coffee (room temperature)
1 1/2 heaping tablespoons of corn starch
1 heaping tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon (generous) butter (Helps prevent icing from cracking as it dries)

Traditional method:
Mix sugar and cocoa
Add coffee - mix well
Cook over water in top of double boiler
Mix com starch and milk and slowly add to pot as cocoa mixture heats.
Continue to stir slowly (wooden spoon) until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Blend well

Microwave method:
Mix sugar, cocoa and coffee in a microwave safe glass container
Mix corn starch and milk and add to cocoa mixture
Stir well until completely blended. Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes (stir at 3 minutes to blend and distribute heat)
Remove and stir again
Add butter and vanilla and blend well. Spread on well cooled cake. Add chopped walnuts, pecans, if desired.