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Spanish Bar Cake

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening or butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

For the Frosting:

  • 2 1/4 cups icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
  • 1 to 2 tbsp. milk more if needed

Instructions
 

To prepare the cake:

  • Pre-heat oven to 325°F.
  • Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • Using a saucepan, add the water and raisins.
  • Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the shortening to the boiled mixture.
  • Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
  • In a bowl, sift together the sugar, soda, flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt.
  • Add the sifted ingredients to the cooled raisin mixture, along with the beaten egg and the nuts, if you are adding them.
  • Fold gently until the flour is just incorporated into the batter; do not over mix.
  • Turn into the prepared pans and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely and ice with frosting, if you like.

To prepare the frosting:

  • In a bowl, beat together the icing sugar, butter, vanilla and a tablespoon of milk until smooth.
  • If necessary, add more milk until the frosting is a good spreadable consistency.
  • Cut the cake in half, frost the first layer, then top with the second layer and frost again.
  • To get the characteristic lines on top, run the back of a fork over the top frosting in straight lines.
  • This recipe also makes about a dozen cupcakes if you prefer.