When friends and family get together this time of year, it’s usually for one special reason: food. No wait, I’m sure it has a lot to do with love and laughter and the spirit of Christmas of course! But we can admit that good food plays a very big role in our joy over the holidays. So I thought I’d spread a little Christmas cheer with my grandma’s delicious recipe that would make a perfect gift for any family gathering or festive party this December.
My Grandmas Boiled Spice Cake
Boiled Spice Cake is a perfect dessert for the holidays because the smell of all the different spices like cinnamon and nutmeg fill the home with a traditional Christmas aroma. It’s also a great cake to try during this time of year because it is similar to fruitcake since it’s flavorful, moist and has fruit in it, without actually being disgusting like fruitcake.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ package raisins
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 package dates
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 3 ½ cups of flour
- Other nuts and fruit (optional)
Instructions
Bring to a boil together in a large sauce pan the water, sugar, shortening, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, raisins, salt, and dates. Let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and then add the baking soda, flour and stir in.
At this point you can also add more fruit and nuts of your choice if you like a heavier and more textured cake.
Pour cake batter into 8”x8” pan or any decorative Bundt cake pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 ½ -2 hours with a pan of water in the bottom rack of the oven. This will allow the cake to stay moist.
After taking it out of the oven let it sit for a few minutes in the pan before letting it cool on the cake rack. After removing from pan and cake has cooled you can eat it plain, or sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar. This makes the cake slightly sweeter and gives it a finished and festive look. Cut a slice and enjoy! Happy holidays, everyone!
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