Shelly's Recipe

GERMAN WALNUT SPICE CAKE

Category: Cakes

1 1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cup sifted flour (sift before measuring)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup butter, softened
3 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 lb confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour three 8-inch cake pans. Chop raisins and 1 cup walnuts fine; place in a medium bowl. Add baking soda, then stir in boiling water. Let mixture cool 1/2 hour.

Sift flour with cinnamon and salt. In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat 3/4 cup butter until creamy. Add sugar a little at a time; beat until light and fluffy. Stop beater and scrape own bowl a couple of times.

Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time. Beat after each one. Beat until fluffy. Add lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. With wooden spoon, beat in flour mixture, in fourths, alternately with nut mixture, in thirds. Begin and end with flour mixture.

Pour batter into pans and bake 25-30 minutes or when top springs back when lightly pressed and cake pulls away from sides. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes in pan. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Frosting: In large bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese with butter and vanilla until creamy. Add confectioners sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Using 1 1/2 cups frosting, put layers together. Use remaining frosting to cover top and sides. Coarsely chop remaining walnuts and sprinkle around top. Refrigerate until serving.