The first thing I am going to bake in my wood-stoves oven is this cake. I don't care what time of year it is, I am plopping this bad boy in the cast iron stove, sit back and simply enjoy the aroma mingling with the fire wood. I am going to build a home within the next year and my family and I have decided to go ahead and put in a century old wood stove. Now I don't know if it's going to be the ONLY cooking appliance in the kitchen, but it WILL be in the kitchen. I remember my grandmother having one in her kitchen growing up and for the last 2 decades, I have been promising myself that I, too, would recreate(or at least try) the smells she made drift thought the entire house. This cake is not only warmly aromatic, but has the flavor that
transcends generations. I am instantly yanked back to my childhood when I taste this and I think you will be pleased with it as well.

Yankee Spiced Nut Cake

1/2 cup apple cider 1/2 cup chopped, fresh cranberries 2 cup flour 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoon butter or margarine, room temp. 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 cup plain yogurt 3/4 cup apple butter 1 cup broken walnuts

Preheat oven to 350ยบ F. Heat apple cider in microwave for 1 minute and soak cranberries in cider until needed. Spray a 9 x 12-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray liberally.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Cream

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butter and sugars in a medium mixing bowl. Add eggs and almond extract and mix until combined. Stir together yogurt, and apple butter. Add to wet mixture alternately with flour. Stir in the cranberries and cider with the walnuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick insert comes out clean and the tops bounce back when pressed with your finger. Allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes and then remove from pan, cut and enjoy.