Southern Chocolate Lanyard

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Place the butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish and put it in the oven to melt. Once melted, remove from the oven and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups sugar, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, flour, milk, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the baking dish over the melted butter, but do not stir.
5. In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in the baking dish.
6. Carefully pour the boiling water over the topping, but do not stir.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is set. The bottom will be loose and slightly sticky.
8. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
9. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, and enjoy the rich, indulgent flavors of this Southern Chocolate Lanyard cake!