Thanks, Jennifer and Fern! I hope it is good. I've made this cake before, but with lemon zest instead of cinnamon. Hubby liked the lemon zest, but I decided to go the cinnamon route this time. Plus, I used some almond extract with the vanilla extract instead of just the vanilla. I love almond flavoring.


Last week I made a Christmas cookie, but was smart enough to send most to my husband's workplace with him. I mentioned these last week, but with no photo. They came out great! They are a cookie based on the favorite of Emperor Franz Joseph I of the former Austro-Hungarian empire. It's a chocolate almond sandwich cookie with a hint of lemon and cinnamon, with a filling of raspberry preserves and rum ground hazelnuts. Then tops dipped in bittersweet chocolate with nut decoration. They're called Ischel Spa Torte cookies. I'm yet to make the most involved Czech Christmas cookie.