By Julie Rothman, For The Baltimore Sun Baltimore Sun

12:30 p.m. AKST, November 27, 2012

1/2 cup chopped nuts

For the mocha icing:

6 tablespoons soft butter

1 egg yolk

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons hot coffee

Whipped cream for garnish, optional

To make the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

Cream shortening in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add sugar and cream until fluffy. Blend in eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in vanilla, lemon extract and nuts. Divide batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 30 minutes until tester comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before frosting.

For the icing, cream together butter, egg, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and coffee until smooth and fluffy. Add another tablespoon coffee or more sugar to balance texture if necessary. Frost top of each layer of cake when cooled and then assemble. Garnish cake with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder or cinnamon.

Note: Double the icing recipe if you want to frost sides as well as the top and the middle of the cake.