Heirloom Spice Cake

Submitted by Outta Here

"This is not my grandmother's recipe, but it is as close as I have found to hers. Her recipe was not saved by anyone and wasn't among the few handwritten recipes of hers that I managed to get. This is adapted from The Farm Journal."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 12-16

ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or regular margarine-NOT lowfat)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sour milk (see note)
• 1 cup walnuts, Chopped
• 1 cup raisins
• confectioners' sugar, for topping

directions

1. NOTE: To make sour milk, measure out 1 cup milk and let get to room temperature. Add 1 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice and stir. The milk will "curdle" and is ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Coat a 13 X 9 X 2-inch oblong baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together and set aside.
5. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Beat in the egg.
6. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour milk, beating well after each addition, using an electric mixer set at low speed.
7. Stir in the walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.
9. To serve, sprinkle with sifted confectioners sugar and cut into squares.