The importance of family....

I have just came back from a lovely dinner at my Mother's house. I didn't get to see my Mom on "Mother's Day", because I was out of town. So we decided to get together today instead. My grandparents were also there, and I always look forward to seeing them.

This is a spice cake recipe that I have made for my Nana on more than one occasion. I am by no means a baker, but spice cake is my Nana's favourite, so I took the plunge ....put on an apron and hoped for the best. Both times this recipe has turned out....deliciously.

This recipe is an ode to Mothers & Nanas everywhere.

*Nana’s Spice cake* -this is a recipe that makes all Nana’s happy! Cake: One 515g pkg golden yellow cake mix 1 ¼ to 1 1/3 cups milk 2 tbsp fancy molasses 1 tbsp ground ginger 2 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp each nutmeg and allspice Sugared Pecans: ½ an egg white 2tbsp granulated sugar ½ tsp each cinnamon and salt 1 cup chopped pecans Icing: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 pound cream cheese, room temperature 2 cups icing sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice Preheat oven according to package. Prepare two 8” square baking pans according to package. Bake cake according to package, substituting milk for water and adding molasses and spices. Once cake is baked, remove from the oven and reduce temp to 300 degrees. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk an egg white with sugar and spices until well mixed. Add nuts and stir to coat. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer, until nuts are dry and toasted. (25-30 mines). Individual nuts should be dry but may stick to each other until they dry completely on cooling. Cream together the butter and cream cheese in a medium sized bowl. Whip in the icing sugar and the lemon juice, until you get the desired consistency. To assemble the cake, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Top with about 1 cup of the cream cheese icing and spread to the edges. Sprinkle with half of the nuts. Top with the second cake layer. For easier slicing, refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

* side note- I soon will be posting a pineapple cake recipe that my Mom makes. It tastes amazing and would be the perfect cake to serve at a dinner party, for aesthetically it looks really cool! I'm waiting for my Mom to send it to me. When I get it, you'll get it.* xo,

S.