Spicey Apple Cake

Mark and I didn't have a very successful art day yesterday. He did an entire painting, then painted all over it and set it aside for another day; I started a woodcut but couldn't seem to get my knife sharp enough... so I made applecake instead and it was absolutely fabulous.

Apple Spice Cake

1 cup butter (I'll try less next time)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup raisins soaked in warm water or wine for 15 minutes and drained
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 large peeled apples chopped into 1/4"-1/2" cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10" tube pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in each egg separately, beat in salt, spices, and vanilla.

Stir or beat in drained raisins, flour mixed with baking soda, and apples.

Bake for an hour or more, depending on how big your apples were. Mine were big, so it was very apply and took 1-1/4 hour to cook. Cool in pan or, if you're like me, turn it upside down immediately and have it fall apart. Let it cool for easiest cutting or, if you're like me, cut it immediately into messy, delicious warm pieces with lots of crumbs.

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