The Introduction of Cakes

    We are now making cakes. (Spread the word.) And not just bundt cakes, either. Full fledged cakes. We have them every Saturday (come and get a taste, but they go quickly!); we also cater--just give us 24 hours notice! Our selection right now is Mexican Chocolate, Honey Apple, Pound, Red Velvet, Coconut, and Carrot (but stay tuned, for I've heard talk of Italian Cream). However, it is not the possibility of Italian Cream that has brought us all together today. No, it is the Carrot. (While we're on the subject, I've always thought it a bit weird that someone, one day, decided to stick a bunch of random crunchy vegetables in a cake. Turns out, they were a genius, but I digress.)
Our carrot cake is a delicious blend of our crunchy friends, savory spices--which have recently been "bumped up" to a newly perfected level--all topped with a creamy, sweet, yet slightly tangy, cream cheese frosting.  It took Alex and I some time to arrive at the perfect combination of spices in this cake. The first time I made it (or any layer cake for that matter), it was really good . . . but we knew it could be better. In the process, we tossed around the idea of adding a bit more of this or that, when Alex decided, "Let's just add a teaspoon of allspice, since it's all the spices." "Um . . . it's not all the spices." "It's not? Are you sure?" "Uh, yeah . . . ." "Oh!" We laughed. (It's ok, Alex. Not everyone can be the Master Baker that I am.)
And so the next time we're talking about that cake, Alex pipes up, "We should just add some allspice since it's all the spices." 
"I don't think it's all the spices."
"Oh . . . right."
And so the next time we're talking about that cake, Alex has a great idea, "We should just add some allspice. . . ."
"It's not."
A couple of days ago, I got a phone call from one of my friends, Micah "Deloach" Evans, who was in need of an emergency birthday carrot cake (we make those, too). I whipped up one for him the next day and added what we found to be the missing piece of the puzzle . . . a teaspoon of allspice.