There's a chill in the air,

the smell of dying leaves, and every-day-earlier dusk.

Oh, how I love this time of year. Cooler weather, scarves, and sweaters. Eating soup makes sense again and, blissfully, I no longer need be afraid to turn on the oven for fear of making the apartment even hotter— and myself even crankier (let's just say I'm not a summer person).

Baking season has begun, and I dove in with a vengeance. Along with baking almost daily a non-cake thing (Focaccia, bread, muffins, pizza crust), I've been experimenting with a few simple cakes these past few weeks...

First up:

Vanilla-Rum Pound Cake with Lemon Zest for Kicks