My Cut and Come Again Cake

This cake is very popular at home.  It is a variation of the famous war cake, a time of rationing when the kitchen larder would have been kind of skimpy.  In Newfoundland this cake is often called Boiled Raisin Cake and used to be a staple kept on hand in case company dropped in, the way people did back in the day.  It would be served sometimes with a little butter spread over a piece and always with a cup of tea.  Raisins were very common and relied upon during those times when dried or candied fruit was expensive and scarce.  They are good for you and I love the local way of calling this cake a "Come and Cut Again" or "Cut and Come Again" cake depending on where you lived. A cake meant to be shared...

Cut and Come Again Cake

Boil the following ingredients together for about 20 minutes (many recipes say 10 but I like more time boiling)

1 cup sugar
2 cups raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
3/4 cup butter
1 cup water

Cool and add the following

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix and pour into prepared pan.  Bake approx. 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. (Try not to overbake.)
I decided to give mine a thin icing sugar glaze to dress it up a bit.

This is very easy as cakes go; for one thing no beating eggs so you don't have to get a mixer out.  You can also dress it up with more fruit...adding candied cherries, for instance, or icing the top. In fact with just a few nuts and more fruit this could pass for a small Christmas cake.
And an added bonus...the boiling and baking of this cake definitely lent a Christmasy smell to the house.