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.
Author:Doris DuPre
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