Raisin Water Cake with Boiled Frosting
Grandma made this cake for snacking and birthdays. For a while it was my cousin T’s favorite birthday cake. This cake is good with or without frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Frosting
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325º Fahrenheit
- Grease and flour a 13 by 9 inch cake pan
- Put raisins and water in a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes
- Drain raisins and reserve 1 1/4 cups cooking liquid and allow to cool
- In a large mixing bowl sift together baking soda, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
- In another bowl whisk together raisin water, eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla
- Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix together using a rubber spatula
- Gently fold in raisins and nuts
- Pour cake batter into prepared cake pan
- Bake on center rack for 40 to 60 minutes, remove from oven when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean
- Allow to cool completely before frosting
Frosting
- In saucepan combine sugar, sour cream, and light corn syrup
- Boil until a candy thermometer reads 234º (soft ball stage)
- Remove from stove and allow to cool completely
- Once cool add vanilla and beat with a hand mixer until the frosting is a thick and spreadable consistency