Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease and flour a 15"x 10" cake pan.  Sift the sugar and flour into a large bowl.  Combine the butter, cocoa and water in a skillet and bring to a rapid boil, stirring occasionally to mix.  Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.  Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and stir until thoroughly blended.  Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 20 minutes.  While the cake is baking, get ready to make the icing.  10 minutes before the cake comes out of the oven, melt the butter in a skillet, then turn off the heat.  Stir in the cocoa and milk.  Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla, pecans and coconut.  Spread the icing over the cake while it is still in the pan and while the cake is still hot.

Our comments:  Don't fret over fancy deserts, just make this.  It is more popular at dinner parties than birthday parties!