Step 1

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and line it with parchment paper.

Step 2

Add the water and raisins to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Add the shortening to the boiled mixture. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Step 4

Sift together the sugar, soda, flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt.

Step 5

Add the sifted ingredients to the cooled raisin mixture, along with the beaten egg and the nuts, if you are adding them.

Step 6

Fold gently until the flour is just incorporated into the batter. Do not over mix.

Step 7

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Step 8

Cool completely and ice with frosting if you like

Step 9

Beat together the icing sugar, butter, vanilla and a tablespoon of milk until smooth.

Step 10

If necessary, add more milk until the frosting is a good spreadable consistency.

Step 11

Cut the cake in half, frost the first layer then top with the second layer and frost again. To get the characteristic lines on top, run the back of a fork over the top frosting in straight lines.

Step 12

This recipe also makes about a dozen cupcakes if you prefer.