Mrs. Hayes’ Spiced Prune Cake
📜 Collection: PatsyCollection | ✍️ Attribution: Mrs. Hayes | 📂 Category: Desserts A wonderfully rich and moist spiced cake packed with cooked prunes, flavored with hot coffee, mace, and cinnamon, and lightened with beaten egg whites.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Inactive / Chill Time | Yield / Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mins | 1 hour | None | 1 large tube or 9x13 cake |
🔪 Key Equipment
- Saucepan
- Large mixing bowl
- Separate bowls
- Large tube pan or 9x13 inch pan
- Toothpick
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
| Measurements | Ingredients | Prep / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 ¼ Cups | Prunes | Washed, cooked, pitted, and chopped |
| 2 ¼ Cups | Sugar | None |
| 1 ¾ Cups | Shortening | Crisco or other shortening |
| 1 ⅛ Cups | Coffee | Hot |
| 4 ¼ Cups | Flour | All-purpose |
| ¾ tsp | Salt | None |
| 1 ½ tsp | Mace | None |
| ½ tsp | Cinnamon | None |
| 2 ¼ tsp | Baking Soda | None |
| 4 | Eggs | Separated |
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Prunes and Oven
- Place the 2 ¼ cups prunes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until they are soft and tender. Drain, remove the pits, and chop or mash the prunes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a large tube pan or a 9x13 inch pan.
Step 2: Mix the Batter
- In a large bowl, cream together the 1 ¾ cups shortening and 2 ¼ cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 4 ¼ cups flour, ¾ tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp mace, ½ tsp cinnamon, and 2 ¼ tsp baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three parts, alternating with the 1 ⅛ cups coffee in two parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Stir in the prepared chopped prunes.
Step 3: Fold and Bake
- In a separate, clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the stiffened egg whites into the batter in two or three additions until no white streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and fragrant.
💡 Make-Ahead & Storage: Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Original Recipe Scan
