1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 cup raisins
2 tbsp. margarine (I use butter)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8x4-inch baking pan.

Place the brown sugar, water, raisins, margarine, cinnamon, and cloves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook gently for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool until the mixture is comfortably warm to your finger.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add them to the cooled sugar mixture, beating until no drifts of flour are visible and the batter is smooth. Stir in the walnuts.

Spread evenly in the baking pan and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a broomstraw inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool completely.

Submitted by: Elizabeth Anne Hamm