This is a very basic cake recipe, which can be varied in many ways, depending on what flavourings you add:   cocoa, spices, ground nuts, dried fruit...whatever.   The point, however, is that the flavour is in the cake.   There is no need to add icing.   This cuts down on calories, and means that it's not too sweet, either; but it also, in many ways, makes the cake more satisfying as a good hearty chew.   It's something that you can cut a large chunk of, and sink your teeth into, without feeling guilty.   It's a lot more satisfying than a couple of plain biscuits.

Ingredients

½ cup butter (unsalted)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
2 cups flour
¼ cup ground walnuts
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp allspice

Alternative I:   Chocolate Walnut Cake
1¾ cups flour
¼ cup cocoa
      instead of 2 cups of flour
Spice may optionally be omitted as well.

Alternative II: Orange Juice Cake
6 fl oz orange juice concentrate (thawed)
½ cup milk
      instead of ¾ cup milk
Omit the spices.

Directions

Grind the Walnuts
Grind the walnuts in a food processor or blender.   They do not have to be sifted, since a few chunky bits are okay.

Making the Batter

Final Preparation
Grease and flour a 7-inch square cake pan.   Pour in the batter.

Baking
Bake at 350°F for about fifty minutes until the crust is a rich golden brown, and the cake is pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan.   Serve warm or cold, cut into squares.

Makes about sixteen squares.

Variations

Chocolate Walnut Cake
Instead of using two cups of flour, substitute a quarter cup of cocoa for part of the flour (meaning that you will need only 1¾ cups of flour).   You may also wish to omit the spices for a simpler flavour combination.

Orange Juice Cake

Other Variations
(a)   Use ground hazelnuts instead of walnuts.
(b)   Instead of (or as well as) the nuts, stir in a cup of currants.
(c)   Substitute two-thirds of a cup of ground almonds for part of the flour (in which case you will need only one and a third cups of flour).
(d)   Include a quarter of a cup of dark rum as part of the liquid (in which case you will need only half a cup of milk).