Spanish Devil's Food Cake

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Caramel Meringue Icing

• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds or pecans

Directions

1. 1

   For the icing: beat egg whites until stiff; add sugar gradually and continue beating until smooth.

2. 2

   Add vanilla and nuts.

3. 3

   Spread over cake batter and bake as directed.

4. 4

   For the cake: preheat oven to 350F and line a 9" square cake pan with waxed paper.

5. 5

   Sift first five ingredients together 3 times.

6. 6

   Beat eggs; add oil and beat thoroughly.

7. 7

   Add sugar gradually, beating mixture well.

8. 8

   Add dry ingredients alternately with water, beating hard after each addition.

9. 9

   Blend in vanilla.

10. 10

    Pour batter into prepared pan, cover with icing mixture and bake until cake shrinks from the sides of the pan, about 40 minutes.