Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan and dust with flour.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and water, alternately, in three batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.
Pour batter into cake pan and smooth top.
Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to .
Cool in pan on a rack for .
Run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert cake onto rack, then reinvert onto a cake plate.
Make the frosting: Combine all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
Beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to .
Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled.
Mound frosting on top of cake.
Dust with cocoa powder.
This rich blend of shrimp, bacon and cream cheese gets its kicks from horseradish and cayenne.
The recipe is from "Great Party Dips" by Peggy Fallon (Wiley, $16.95).