Spices

Ienjoy using fresh spices sparingly in my cakes. They impart a hint of mystery to the cakes flavor rather than overpowering it. If you can identify the spice in the cake, you have usually used too much. When you buy spices, mark the date of purchase on the label. But the best test for freshness is to check for color and aroma. Ground spices will not keep as long as whole ones.

Spices that blend well with butter cakes are allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg (freshly grated is best), mace, cardamom and coriander.