Raisin Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Karen Shinto
This raisin cake has humble, homey appeal—it's the kind of cake you want to eat for breakfast or as an after-school snack on a rainy day.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with cooking-oil spray and set aside.
Step 2
2
In a medium saucepan, bring raisins and 3 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, and let sit until butter melts.
Step 3
3
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
Step 4
4
Stir raisin-butter mixture into flour mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.
Step 5
5
Ingredients
Cooking-oil spray
2 cups raisins
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt