OLD FASHIONED RAISIN CAKE
Old Fashioned Raisin Cake is excellent for breakfast or dessert. Just add a hot cup of coffee, and you’re set. It’s delicious with butter spread on it hot out of the oven. Loaf cakes are perfect when you just want a more petite dessert or breakfast. Sometimes we don’t need a big dessert, and this is one of our favorites when that is the case. If you like a combination of the spices below, you will love this old fashioned raisin cake.
Old Fashioned Raisin Cake Ingredients
Butter
Brown sugar
Raisins
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
ground nutmeg
Salt
Water
Vanilla extract
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Baking soda
Baking powder
Chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Recipe Notes: You can add your favorite frosting or a glaze to this cake. I usually just sprinkle on some powdered sugar. This loaf cake keeps well in an airtight container for several days. I don’t refrigerate it. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave. This recipe makes one loaf.
Scroll down for the full recipe.
“Thank you so much for the recipe! I made it yesterday and tasted it today, on Christmas day. Wow! It tastes so good! I am so happy that the baking part went well too! Merry Christmas!”-Reshma
“I made this cake last night, it was one of the simplest cakes I’ve ever made. I did not have all the spices so I substituted with 2 teaspoons of apple pie spice. I already shared the recipe with my sister, daughters and granddaughter. Delicious! Thank you!”-Janette
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Old Fashioned Raisin Cake
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter or 5 1/3 tablespoons
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups raisins
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Bring butter, sugar, raisins, spices, salt and water to a medium boil for 3 minutes on top of the stove. Remove from stove and let cool. Stir in vanilla extract. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl. Pour in cooled ingredients and mix until ingredients are all wet. Stir in eggs and fold in nuts.
- Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes until center tests done. Can add your favorite frosting or a glaze. I usually just sprinkle on some powdered sugar. Keeps well in an airtight container for several day. I don't refrigerate. Can be reheated in oven or microwave. Makes 1 loaf
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This bread was absolutely delicious .My husband and I are enjoying it with a cup of coffee and loving it.
So thrilled to hear this!
Lovely cake… I had a few dates and glacé cherries so added them as well!
Sounds like wonderful additions!
Another great recipe! I made this last night and used only half the brown sugar( because I am always on a diet), and added an ounce of dark rum with the vanilla extract, then eliminated the cinnamon. The aroma while baking was so tantalizing! Better than a fruitcake, and next time I will add an extra 1/2 cup of raisins and nuts so that there is an even greater ratio of fruit than cake.
Thank you again, so much, for brightening my life with your charming recipe notes and clear descriptions and photos. I never hesitate to try one of your recipes, since I know before I start that it will turn out just fine. Never fail, what a gift!
YAY!! Thank you SOOO much for the kind words! We are so glad you are a fan of the recipes! This is a great one and your additions sound wonderful. With so much AI on the internet now, we are so glad people recognize these recipes as the real deal.
I never thought that I would be here to write a review of this cake; let alone make it. I would like to say that it has a perfect blend of fruit and nuts that resulted in being very satisfying and delicious too. I have to say that it tasted much better a day or so later on. I made 2 of them and this is one recipe I will be making again.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Do you think it would work with gluten free flour?? A 1:1 blend ?
I think it may work but can’t say with certainty, since I have never tried it.
W ORLD WAR 2 RECIPE IS BASICALLY THE SAME WITOUT EGGS AND USING CRISCO… Your recipe is spot on. Thank you!
I made this memorial day for my inlaws it was delicious! Question what temperature should the heated mix be before adding to dry ingredients? Thanks!
This is a simple recipe and easy to execute. I will get my ingredients from Trader Joe’s and bake the cake for my birthday. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Hi, I am an old Australian home baker. Therefore I need to know does your recipe for OF raisin cake use raisins (in Aus, dried Waltham cross grapes, very dark and almost wet with juice syrup) or what we call sultanas? These are often called in US recipes, golden raisins. Your picture shows a dark looking grape, so here is hoping.
Also, I am mystified that many young US internet bakers think bicarbonate of soda, is baking powder. That is baking soda, used for honeycomb candy, soda bread etc
Baking powder, which is within our everyday self raising flour, or purchased separately, is a mix of bi carbonate of soda and sodium acid pyrophosphate, prepared food grade. We use all purpose flour, but we call it Plain. And we don’t use either for bread. We buy bread makers flour, which has higher protein, thus better gluten development.
Just great to chat with another baker.
I left the nuts out but absolutely simple and amazing! Super nostalgic too as it reminds me of grandmas fruit cake!!!
Thanks for great recipe 🙂
You’re very welcome! So glad it was a hit!
Why don’t you refrigerate this cake?
Because we keep it in an airtight container and that has always worked fine, plus the raisins get hard once chilled in the refrigerator. If you want to put it in the fridge, then go right ahead 🙂
Second time I bake this, came out great, moist and yummy. Very easy too. Highly recommended, I’m not much of a cook or baker, but had no issues, my wife was very impressed! 🙂
PS: also added a little bit of brandy, the second time around, it did not hurt
Made this today…perfection!
Has anyone ever tried this with an egg replacement? My son has an egg allergy
Have you used this recipe with different fruit ? I thought about trying it with dry Cranberries.
No, I have only made it the way it is written, but you can give it a try!
I made this for my family and it was a BIG hit. I want to make it as cupcakes any ideas how long to bake them?
I’ve never made this cake as cupcakes, so I can’t really advise. I would start at 20-25 minutes and just watch it until the cupcakes are done. You’ll just have to test it.
Hi: I baked this cake at least 3 times, each time it came out perfect. The recipe is easy to follow, quick and easy to make. I have couple bags of cake flour in my pantry and I would like to use for this recipe instead of all purpose flour. What do you think? Will it come out as good? Please advise! Thank you.
I have never made this recipe with cake flour; I can’t advise you. Good luck!
Can’t wait to try recipe…
To answer the question:
Use 2 tablespoons less AP flour per cup of cake flour, and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup
Mind blowing outcome, only if you follow exactly same as it is instructed. Believe me, I never thought that my first ever baking would be so delicious that I forget what I had for many years from store. This is the simplest yet delicious recipe. The proportion of baking powder, baking soda and eggs so perfect that you never feel them in cake, yet my cake rise exactly in double after baking.
Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much for the recipe!
I made it yesterday and tasted today, on Christmas day. Wow! It tastes so good! I am so happy that the baking part went well too! Merry Christmas and all the blessings of Christ Jesus ❣️
can i use a bundt pan instead of loaf pan?
You can try it, I’ve only made it in a loaf pan.
I made with dairy free butter before and it was AMAZING!!! Do u think I can use just oil instead of butter?
You can definitely try it.
I made this cake several times and shared it with family and friends too.
If I want to use whole wheat instead of white flour
Could that work? Do I need to mix it with white flour?
Would like a feedback please
Thank you
I have never used whole wheat with this recipe so I can’t advise. Thanks!
I made this cake last night, it was one of the simplest cakes I’ve ever made. I did not have all the spices so I substituted with 2 teaspoons of apple pie spice. I already shared the recipe with my sister, daughters and granddaughter. Delicious! Thank you!
So glad this cake was such a hit!! Thank you so much for letting us know. Have a wonderful weekend.
I would like to see more of these old fashion recipes BKS where I live all I get is glutin free or healthy books
Hi Jenny, Here is a link to our Old Fashioned Recipe board on Pinterest. Most of our Old=Fashioned Recipes are posted there. If you are on Pinterest you can visit the recipe from the board. If you are not on Pinterest, you can get the name of the recipe from the board and put it in the search box on our website to get the recipe. I am like you. I love old-fashioned recipes. They are the best! Have a great week ahead and thank you for your comment. https://www.pinterest.com/jdyygr/old-fashioned-recipes/