resolved to evolve?

Nah, not really. I'm not a person who usually makes New Year's resolutions (except for that one time when I resolved to make a resolution--WIN!), but I'd like to share an impromptu decision I made around the first of the year.

I'll now be striving to appreciate a cake for more than just the frosting that bedecks it, a noble goal for this sugar-loving girl, to be sure.

So, you ask, what caused the sudden change of heart? A very special cake indeed. Laden with pecans and pineapple (and interestingly, no fatty fats of which to speak), the texture and degree of moistness in this treat make frosting completely unnecessary. Yeah, I said it.

If you don't think you can match my feat of strength here (she says sarcastically, knowing that the next dessert she made was a batch of brownies coated with butterscotch goo), a fitting frosting would be cream cheese. Mmm...cream cheese frosting. This may be harder than I thought.

Pineapple Pecan Party Cake (Sugar Blanket Not Required)
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9-inch pan or 2 9-inch round pans.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and pecans. Combine eggs, vanilla, and pineapple; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean--32-38 minutes for a 13x9-incher or 24-30 minutes for the rounds. Cool completely on a wire rack.