Grandmas Poor Mans Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Bring to a boil the fruit, nuts, extract, salt, sugar, shortening and coffee.
• Continue to cook until raisins swell and liquid becomes syrupy; cool completely.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
• Add to fruit mixture and combine thoroughly.
• Pour into a greased 10-inch tube pan and bake at 325° about an hour (if heavy with fruit). Check with tester to be sure cake is done.
• Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
• At this point I soak a clean piece of cheesecloth in liquor; brandy, rum, even wine.
• Wrap the cake with the cloth and in foil--store in COLD place--check often, resoak as needed.
• There are no exact measurements for the fruit in this recipe--the original recipe stated "fruits, nuts & peels-whatever you have on hand".
• This was done because it was wartime and things for fancy baking were not always available.

Steps:

• Boil together all ingredients.
• Add water just enough water to cover raisins.
• Boil until raisins are tender.
• Cool.
• Add 1 t baking soda and enough Unbleached flour to make a stiff batter.
• Pour batter into 9-inch round cake pan.
• Bake in moderate oven until cake springs back when touched lightly (about 1 hour at 350 degrees F).
• Serve warm or cold with cream, custard sauce or powdered sugar frosting.
• Walnuts may be added to batter just before baking.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• In a saucepan mix brown sugar, raisins, water and shortening. Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. When raisin mixture is cool, add to dry ingredients and mix well to combine.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 or 40 minutes. Do not over bake or it will be too dry. Test after 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of cake should come out clean.