Wonderful recipe!! I thought the icing was ready, but the thermometer was registering 215. By the time I found my candy thermometer, it had gone past the hard ball stage! Yikes! But it still turned out fine -- delicious, in fact. I highly recommend this cake to anyone who likes spice-type cakes. It's moist, fragrant, and delicious. (My house smells marvelous!) Thanks, Liz!