HoHo Bars

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with August's theme, Snacks From Scratch.)

HoHos and Swiss Cake Rolls are my kids' favorite packaged snacks.  You know what I'm talking about, right?...that yummy combination of chocolate cake, fluffy white filling, and chocolate coating.  These bars are a delicious substitute for the store-bought treats!  They don't look anything like the cute little rolls, but in my opinion, they taste better than the original.  Better yet, they make a HUGE batch, so you get at least 36 bars for your time and money instead of six packages of two rolls.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Base:
1/2 C (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 C water
3 Tbsp cocoa
2 C flour
2 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 C buttermilk OR soured milk (put 1/2 Tbsp vinegar into a 1/2 C measuring cup.  Fill to the top with milk)
Filling:
1 C sugar
1 C butter-flavored shortening
1/2 C milk
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 C powdered sugar
Frosting:
1 C sugar
6 Tbsp butter OR margarine
6 Tbsp milk
1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Directions:
Base:  Beat together butter, vegetable oil, water, cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, and vanilla.  Add eggs and buttermilk and beat until well blended.  Bake in a greased jelly-roll (10x15) pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until middle tests done with a toothpick.  Cool.  Meanwhile, prepare the filling:  Beat together for 5 minutes the sugar, shortening, milk, water, vanilla, and salt.  Add the powdered sugar and beat again until smooth.  Spread over cooled base.  Frosting:  Combine the butter, milk, and sugar in a microwaveable bowl.  Microwave 60 seconds or until mixture starts to boil.  Continue microwaving until mixture has boiled for one minute.  Stir in chocolate chips until melted.  Cool to room temperature and spread over filling.  Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

Options and Tips:

• If you REALLY want to avoid processed foods, use all real butter (instead of margarine), and substitute real butter for the shortening in the filling.
• Another benefit to making these bars at home (instead of buying the packaged treats at the store) is that you can control the portion sizes by how large or small you cut the bars.  You should be able to get at least 36 bars out of this recipe, and if you cut them REALLY small, you can even make 48 bars. 

This recipe can be found on page 52 of Hull PRCS' "Bountiful Blessings" cookbook.  Kim Scholten brought over these bars after one of our kids was born, and she pointed me to this recipe.