SPANISH BAR CAKE
 MIAMI HERALD RECIPE

1/3 cup solid shortening (I use butter)
2 cups raisins
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsps cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 ¼ cup water
1 tsp salt (I do not use this at all)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour (I use unbleached)

Grease a 9 x 13 pan or a Bundt pan

Place shortening, raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and 1 ¼ cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Dissolve salt (if used) and baking soda in 2 tsps water and blend into the saucepan mixture. Stir the baking powder into the flour and blend into the mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes. I suggest testing with a toothpick at 45 minutes because pan size has an effect on cooking time. Cool and frost with icing recipe below.

CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

½ cup butter or margarine softened
8 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla (pure)

Beat butter and cream cheese to blend well. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Frost cake.

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