ALLSPICE HONEY PECANS:
2/3 cup packed light sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

CAKE:
2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, room temp.

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup buttermilk

• Nonstick cooking spray

• Apricot preserves, sauce

• Mint sprigs, garnish

• Assortment of fruits (dipped in chocolate) if desired, garnish

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• In a large 10” seasoned cast-iron skillet, combine brown sugar, butter, honey and allspice. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth (2-3 minutes). Stir in pecans and set aside.

• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, allspice and cocoa powder. Mix well. Set aside.

• Using a mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and beat in eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until well blended.

• With the brown sugar and pecan mixture in it, coat the side of the cast-iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully spoon the cake batter over the pecan mixture, spreading evenly.

• Bake cake until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 40 minutes). Remove skillet from oven and run a knife around edge of cake to loosen from skillet. Immediately invert cake onto a serving plate while hot. Drizzle with warm apricot preserves and garnish as you desire.

Serves 6-8