• 5Lb beef, pork or chicken cut into 2-inch chunks
• Add to a large pot, and cover the meat with water. To the meat and water, add 1T each cumin, chili powder, salt, 3 or 4 cloves chopped garlic, and half chopped onion. Cook covered for 21/2 to 3 hours. I use a pressure cooker and can cook 5 Lb meat in 45 minutes.
• There are a few different grades of corn husks. Try to get the larger, more expensive ones. They are much easier to work with.
• While meat is cooking, rinse and put corn husks in a pot of hot water to soften. These need to be in hot water for a least one hour to soften.
• When meat is tender, remove from pot. Shred meat with a fork. You should have nearly 1/2 gallon of cooking liquid left from the meat.
• In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, add one cup of canola oil, and one cup of flour. Stir constantly until flour starts to turn to a tan color. Add 1 cup chili powder, 1T cumin, and 1T salt. Stir for a minute or two. Add some cooking liquid to make a chili powder gravy. Add more liquid to get the right consistency. (Not too thick, not too thin). Add the shredded meat to the gravy, and stir until all mixed.
• Use the "unprepared masa" that comes in a 5 lb package. You could use prepared masa, but it's more expensive and has lard as the fat. I prefer to use canola oil to make the tamales more healthy, and there's no discernable difference in the taste.
• Remove the masa from wrap and put it into a large bowl. Break into pieces.
• Add 2T baking powder, 2T salt, and 2T chili powder. Add some warm cooking liquid and 3/4 cup canola oil. Starting on slow beat the masa with a hand mixer. Turn the mixer to high and beat for several minutes. To get the right consistency, continue to add liquid and a little more oil. Taste, add more salt if needed. You want the masa to be like a thick cake batter.
• Remove some corn husks and shake out most of the water.
• I set up an assembly line on my countertop with the masa, meat, and corn husks.
• I like to use a pastry cutter to spread the masa. Pick up some masa on the spreader, and
• spread it across the husk, 5 inches down from the top. Add 2T meat, and roll the husk. Pinch the bottom where the masa starts, and fold the bottom of the husk. Wrap this in deli paper.
• You want a ratio of 50% meat to 50% masa.
• When the tamales are all assembled, stack them in a large pot with a steamer tray in the bottom. Add water, cover, and steam on medium-high for two hours. Continue to add a small amount of boiling water to the pot during steaming. Do not let the pot go dry. Tamales are done when the masa peels easily from the husk.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Prepare Cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray on a 9 X 13-inch baking pan.
• Whisk the first 4 ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, add the Coca-Cola (1 can), cocoa (1/4 cup), and butter (1 cup) and bring just to a boil, over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until blended.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs (2), buttermilk (1/2 cup), and vanilla (2 teaspoons) together then whisk into the flour mixture.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Prepare Glaze:
• Start making the glaze the last 15 minutes before the cake is done baking. In a saucepan, bring the Coca-Cola to a boil, over medium-high; continue to cook 12-15 minutes or until soda has been reduced to 1/2 a cup.
• Stir in the butter (1/2 cup), and cocoa (1/4 cup) until the butter has melted. Remove from heat, add vanilla (1 teaspoon) and Confectioners' Sugar (3 3/4 cups), and mix until smooth. Pour immediately over the hot cake.

Cake Mix

• Mix all cake Mix together pour in pan & bake in 350` oven 40 - 45 min. until the toothpick comes out dry.

Topping

• Mix everything in pan & heat thoroughly

  While the cake is still hot, from the oven pour the topping over the cake

  let cool & enjoy

  Make the topping: In a saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Pour shredded coconut and pecans or walnuts if you desire. Stir and continue to boil for a few minutes. Pour over the hot cake and smooth it evenly with an offset spatula. Garnish: Top individual slices with Reddi Wip and cherries