Moving across the country is hard. Moving across the country in your 30s with a baby is really hard. Martin and I are no strangers to packing up our house and trekking across states for work. In the last 10 years, his job has taken us from West Palm Beach to Nashville, from Nashville to Seattle, Seattle back to Orlando, Orlando to Minneapolis, and now, Minneapolis to New York. At risk of sounding like an old fogey, when we were younger, throwing a bunch of clothes in a suitcase and exploring a brand new city for a few years was exciting and thrilling. So many new restaurants to try and parks to explore and people to meet.
This move, while it’s maybe the job and city we are most excited for, has felt a lot more difficult. We have a few extra things to consider—mostly Marco and Tahini, but we also own a home in Minnesota and have now become landlords. Maybe it’s that I work from home while my co-workers (a baby and a dog) take naps. Maybe it’s that I’m over 30 and making friends as an adult is hard. Maybe it’s postpartum. Maybe it’s just a combination of all of those things together. I’m so thankful that Martin loves his job, that I’m able to work for myself and stay home with Marco, and that NYC is just outside our doorstep, but there are times when the transition has felt a little exhausting.
Our sweet neighbors have helped this transition feel a little less overwhelming. We live on a quiet street, and, immediately upon unloading our truck back in August, our across the street neighbors introduced themselves to us. They wave as we pull out of our driveway, they typed up a list of parks, restaurants, and grocery stores in the area for us, and they even got Marco a little Halloween gift.
I remember after our very first move 10 years ago, my mother-in-law asked us if we had met people we could call if we had to go to the hospital. That has stuck with me through each and every move and city, and I’m so grateful that though we’ve only been here for a few months, we have people we can call in an emergency.
And of course, I showed them my gratitude with cake.
a spiced walnut loaf cake
This is an extra simple cake, festively spiced and great for gifting. No fancy equipment required, it consists of a simple batter made extra tender with the addition of yogurt and oil. I created a spice blend used in both the cake and the filling layer, and lucky for us, it makes a little extra—perfect for spooning in coffee or sprinkling on toast.
Half the batter is poured into our loaf pan and layered with a brown sugar walnut layer. Then the rest of the batter is added and the last of the brown sugar layer is sprinkled on top to add a little crunch. I had a bunch of toasted walnuts leftover from another recipe, but you could easily substitute with any nut you like or leave them out completely. The whole thing is finished with a thick layer of browned butter sour cream glaze. It’s warm and festive and perfect with a cup of coffee—your neighbors will thank you.
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