Recipe: Araby Spice Cake with Dates and Walnuts, Araby Spice Cake with Coffee Icing

Araby Spice Cake

3/4 cup (1 1/2 cubes) butter or
margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup cultured buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cocoa
3/4 tsp. each nutmeg, soda and
baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter or margarine with sugar until light. Mix
in egg yolks and buttermilk. Sift flour, measure, and sift
again with cocoa, nutmeg, soda, baking powder and cinnamon; add gradually to creamed mixture. Beat until well blended. Stir in lemon extract, vanilla, dates and nuts. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. Turn into two buttered 9-inch layer cake pans. Bake in a moderately hot oven (375 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Serves 10 to 12.

Note: My sisters and I made this many times--Very Good!
Use your favorite caramel or butterscotch frosting to fill
between layers and frost. (You can freeze the layers separately and frost later, if you wish.)

Araby Spice Cake

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. cocoa
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice

Mix ingredients in order: shortening, sugar, eggs,
flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa, buttermilk or sour milk, vanilla and lemon juice. Pour into greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Araby Icing:
6 Tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. hot coffee
Stir together and frost cooled cake.