Old Fashioned Spice Cake with Raisins
Enjoy the delightful flavors of an old fashioned spice cake with raisins. It is a delicious dessert showcasing plump raisins and blending warm spices. This vintage recipe is not just for the holidays and can be enjoyed year-round. This cake promises a timeless and flavorful experience.
Passed down for generations, this old fashioned raisin spice cake has been in our family for over 75 years, and this is the original recipe. My dad vividly remembers enjoying this cake as a little boy, and each bite takes him down memory lane. This recipe has been rooted deep in his family’s history and was made by my dad’s mom and aunt. This cake imparts a sense of tradition and nostalgia in every bite and is a fragrant reminder of his treasured family’s history.
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What Is Spice Cake
Spice cake is a time-honored dessert with warm spices and a distinctive flavor profile. The brown sugar and buttermilk provide a depth of sweetness that compliments the warm spices. This bundt cake is enjoyed around the world and appeals to many with its warmth, nostalgia, and comfort. Each bite evokes memories with its aromatic and flavorful taste. Spice cake has a long history, is typically associated with traditional baking, and has a timeless appeal.
Southern Caramel Cake is another old family recipe that my family loves. It is a homemade butter cake topped with a cooked caramel frosting. Delish!
Why This Recipe is Fabulous
This cake is a living testament to keeping family traditions alive with recipes from the kitchen. This is more than a dessert; it’s time-tested perfection that has stood the taste of time.
Childhood Nostalgia: This cake brings back memories of each bite being a moment of joy and comfort.
Fragrant: The spices will fill your kitchen with an inviting aroma of warmth and love.
Celebration: This cake is perfect to serve year round for holidays, birthdays, or special occasions. This is a go-to cake for sharing moments and fits various settings.
Easy: This cake comes together fast with simple ingredients found in most spice cabinets and pantries.
Tasty: Each bite is filled with cinnamon and spices, nuts, and raisins. It’s very satisfying and fabulous and goes great with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients for Old Fashioned Spice Cake
This old fashioned spice cake recipe calls for a few essential ingredients that are easy to find in most spice cabinets, pantries, or on the baking aisle at the grocery store. Please see the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and amounts.
Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds sweetness and moisture to the cake.
Egg Yolks – Adds richness and moisture and helps to bind the cake together.
Butter – Just a small amount of softened butter contributes to the cake’s light and fluffy texture.
All Purpose Flour – This serves as the main structure of the cake.
Ground Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, Ground Nutmeg – These spices provide warmth and depth, nutty undertones and adds an aromatic fragrance to your kitchen.
Baking Soda – Baking soda acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise and become light and fluffy.
Buttermilk – Buttermilk provides acidity and contributes to the moisture of the cake.
Boiled Raisins – Raisins provide a bit of sweetness and chewy goodness throughout the cake.
Water – The water is used to boil the raisins.
Walnuts – Walnuts add a delightful crunch and flavor to the cake. You may also swap out pecans if you don’t have walnuts.
Recipe Instructions
This is an easy recipe for an old-fashioned favorite. The secret ingredient is boiled raisins. You will have a delightful and delicious spice cake in the oven baking in just a few easy steps. See below for instructions on how to boil raisins for this cake. For complete detailed instructions on how to make this old fashioned spice cake with raisins, please see the printable recipe card below.
- Prep the ingredients: Boil the raisins, prepare the bundt pan, and gather the ingredients.
- Mix the Ingredients: Mix the wet ingredients as well as the dry ingredients. Make sure the butter is at room temperature before you begin.
- Pour Into Prepared Pan and Bake: Make sure the pan is greased well, and pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool completely and move to a wire rack or serving plate.
How To Boil Raisins
Boiling raisins may sound slightly tricky, but it is relatively simple. In a saucepan, combine raisins and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Boiling the raisins will plump them to enhance their texture and sweetness. This adds to the overall charm of this old-fashioned boiled raisin cake.
Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake is a moist, lemony cake with sweet, juicy blueberries—a beautiful cake for any occasion.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Feel free to get creative and tailor the spice cake to your preferences. If you don’t have a certain spice or don’t like one, leave it out. The cake will still be wonderful and the star of the show. Enjoy the process and experiment with the flavors and spices.
Recipe Tips:
Recipe Variations:
This is a classic dessert and delicious served by the slice. Here are a few suggestions on how to enhance each slice and bite.
How To Store Leftover Cake
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You may also store it in the refrigerator for longer. This is also a cake you can freeze and enjoy later. I like to slice the cake and layer it in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Separate the layers with parchment paper to make each slice easier to remove. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat slightly in the microwave.
How To Serve Spice Cake
Serving the spice cake can be as delightful as baking it. Keep in mind the occasion when preparing to serve it. The goal is to enhance the overall deliciousness of your homemade cake. Some suggestions might be:
- Give the cake a light dusting of powdered sugar or dust each slice as it is being served. A simple powdered sugar glaze would be nice.
- Serve with Whipped Cream.
- A drizzle of warm caramel syrup would be lovely.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,
- Hot coffee goes great with a slice of cake, especially for breakfast.
FAQs
The distinction lies in the warm spices for its flavor, which sets it apart from other cakes.
You can make this cake up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. This cake also freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can adapt the spice cake to make cupcakes. You will need to adjust the baking time accordingly.
More Dessert Recipes for the Holidays
Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butte Frosting
White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
White Chocolate Christmas Crack
More Easy Recipes For The Holidays
Old Fashioned Spice Cake with Raisins
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1⅓ cups buttermilk
- 2 cups boiled raisins see notes
- 1½ cups water for boiling raisins
- 2 cups walnuts chopped
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine raisins and water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Generously grease a bundt pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, butter, and sugar. Set aside.
- Sift flour, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in another bowl. Set aside.
- Add baking soda to the buttermilk and stir gently until dissolved.
- To the egg mixture, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately. Mix until combined.
- Stir in nuts and raisins. Stir well.
- Pour into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely and move to a wire rack or serving plate.
