An Old Fashioned Cake With a Surprise Ingredient

I made this cake yesterday and my family loved it.  They were very surprised to find out that it was made with prunes.  Yes, this is an old fashioned prune cake.

1 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon cloves 1 cup buttermilk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup prunes, pitted and chopped

THE SAUCE 6 T. butter 1/2 cup buttermilk 2 teaspoons dark corn syrup 3/4 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the SAUCE: In saucepan, over medium heat, cook butter, 1/2 cup buttermilk, corn syrup and 3/4 cup sugar until sugar and butter melt, simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and stir.

	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" X 13" baking pan.
	In a medium bowl, mix together flour, soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside. Cover the chopped prunes with buttermilk and set aside.
	In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs, vanilla and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until combined..
	Add the buttermilk and the prunes to the egg/oil mixture and combine.Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
	Pour into greased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes being careful not to overbake.When you gently shake the pan it should not jiggle.
	Make large, deep holes in hot cake and pour topping in holes and on top of cake a little at a time, giving it time to soak in. I stabbed it all over with a knife.

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup prunes, pitted and chopped

 

 

 THE SAUCE

6 T. butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons dark corn syrup

3/4 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" X 13" baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.


Cover the chopped prunes with buttermilk and set aside.
 

In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs, vanilla and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until combined..

 Add the buttermilk and the prunes to the egg/oil mixture and combine.Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.

Pour into greased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes being careful not to overbake.When you gently shake the pan it should not jiggle.

Make large, deep holes in hot cake and pour topping in holes and on top of cake a little at a time, giving it time to soak in. I stabbed it all over with a knife.

This is a very blurry pick of the topping before it is cooked on the stove top.

The topping is a bit frothy after it boils.  Just spread it around with an offset spatula until it soaks in.

This is a very moist, deliciously spiced cake that can be eaten as is or topped with a dollop of whipped cream. The flavor is even better after a couple days if it lasts that long.  It is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.