Chocolate Spice Cake

Just a great little spice cake, wonderful with chocolate or vanilla frosting.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 1 9inch round cake

Ingredients

• 3⁄4-1  cup sugar (use 1 cup if you like it sweet)
• 3  tablespoons Crisco shortening
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  eggs
• 1  cup flour
• 2  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 4  tablespoons  chopped  nuts
• 1⁄3 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9" round baking pan, and dust with flour.
3. In a large bowl, beat sugar and shortening until very well mixed; add in vanilla and eggs, beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
4. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture, with the buttermilk, beat for 2 minutes at low speed until moistened, then at medium speed for another 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the chopped nuts.
6. Transfer to prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until cake tests done with a toothpick.
8. Note: mini chocolate chips may be substituted for the chopped nuts, OR use 2 Tbsp of both.