ALLSPICE WHOLE RECIPES

Steps:

• Scrub beets and trim tops to 1 in. Place in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 25-35 minutes. Remove from water; cool. Peel beets and cut into fourths., Place beets in a Dutch oven. Add sugar, water and vinegar. Place spices on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add to beet mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard spice bag., Carefully pack beets into 4 hot 1-pint jars to within 1/2 in. of the top. Carefully ladle hot liquid over beets, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 35 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly butter and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.
• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a medium bowl; set aside.
• Combine coffee and water in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Slowly beat in granulated sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in brown sugar.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Beat in molasses.
• With the mixer on its lowest speed, add flour mixture in three additions alternating with coffee mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edges of the pan, then invert the pan to release the cake. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the sugared cranberries and glaze: Combine 1/4 cup water and 4 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat; lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add cranberries and stir until coated. Remove from heat and strain cranberries to remove excess syrup. Cool slightly. Place remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on a plate; roll cranberries in sugar to coat.
• In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla. The glaze should be thick but still pourable; add a drop or two more milk if necessary. Spoon glaze over top of cake and decorate with sugared cranberries.