Molasses Spice Cake with Cranberry Relish and Hard Sauce

Yield: 12 people

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1/2 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and ginger
1/8 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and cloves
Pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 cup cranberry juice
1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup each: dried cranberries, small diced dried apricots, and chopped toasted pecans
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons maple syrup

For the cake, grease and flour a 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a medium bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Continue to beat, adding molasses, followed by the flax seed mixture, until smooth. Alternating three times, beat in dry ingredients and plant creamer to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Set on a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool. Invert onto the wire rack to completely cool. (Can be wrapped and stored at room temperature overnight.)

Bring spices and cranberry juice to a boil in a large saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a boil, cooking until some of the cranberries just start to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add dried cranberries, apricots, pecans, orange zest, and maple syrup; toss gently to coat. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use (Can be covered and refrigerated at least a week.)

With a hand mixer, beat butter until smooth, then beat in sugar until fluffy, then beat in whiskey until incorporated. (Can be covered and refrigerated at least a week.)

Cut cake into squares, top with a portion of cranberry sauce and a smear of hard sauce.