Tennessee Canasta Cake

Cream filling:

2 1/2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate icing:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

6 tablespoons cola

1 cup chopped pecans

12 ounces (3/4 box) confectioners' sugar

To finish:

1 dark chocolate cake, baked (or sliced) in 4 layers

To make filling: Gradually stir milk into flour in small saucepan. Heat, stirring, over low flame until it forms a thick paste. Cool. Put shortening, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Add cooled paste. Beat at high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. (The more you beat it, the fluffier it gets.) Beat in vanilla.

To make icing: Combine butter, cocoa and cola. Heat to boiling and pour over powdered sugar and pecans. Mix.

To assemble: Spread pastry cream between cake layers. Frost top and sides with icing. Makes 16 servings.