Old Fashion Tea Cakes

I'm sure lots of you can remember that tea cakes or sugar cookies were one of your favorite things when you were a kid.  Things have become so fast paced that your everyday working mom/dad just don't have time to make things from scratch.  I wonder if I ask you to make a plain cake with chocolate icing, without using a recipe or mix from a box could you do it?  I would have to think on it for a few minutes.  Take the time for cookies it's fun and they are great!!