Spice Cake Box Mix: Fancified

Did Santa do your list justice this year?  He did mine.  

Lots of girly baubles and pretty things were to be found beneath my tree: nail polish, hair stuff, fashion tights, and jewelry.  

Mrs. Claus made the baker in me happy: ramekins, mini-loaf pans, cookie-scoops, a tart pan, and a potato scrubber brush (complete with googly eyes).

After the morning of festivities, a wonderful service at church, and a relaxing afternoon, Mom and I each ate a piece of this cake.  We justified our slightly larger than average slices and scoops of ice cream with the rationale that it was Jesus' birthday cake, after all, and that merited celebrating.

Who says you have to slave in the kitchen to make a delicious dessert?  Embrace the box mix.

  

This cake starts with a spice cake box mix.  I added 1/2 tsp of ground cloves, and 1/2 tsp of extra cinnamon to make it festive for Christmas, and baked it in two 9" round cake pans.

 After cooling, I spread the top of one layer with this Pecan Pumpkin Butter found at Williams and Sonoma that I was fortunate enough to win in a give-away hosted by Lindsey of Gingerbread Bagels (thanks again!)

About 2/3 of the jar should do.

I frosted the cake with cream cheese frosting, and bedazzled it with chopped pecans, toasted in an oven at 350 deg. F for about 5-7 minutes.

What's your favorite way to dress up a box mix dessert?