Raisin Spice Cake

"This recipe is an old-time favorite that was given to me by my mother-in-law. She told me the cake shouldn't be eaten the day it's baked...aging makes it so much better. She once entered this cake in a contest and won first prize!" From Taste Of Home

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 13x9 cake

Ingredients

• 2  cups raisins
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 2  cups  packed brown sugar
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup buttermilk or 1  cup  sour milk
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 3  eggs, beaten
•  confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine raisins and water. Cook until plump. Drain and set aside raisins, reserving 10 tablespoons cooking liquid. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves nutmeg and salt; set aside. Combine milk, soda, eggs and reserved cooking liquid. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture to creamed mixture. Stir in cooked raisins. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until cake test done. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.