Right before Christmas when I made mom’s spice cake I promised myself that I was going to make it again soon and add raisins to the ingredients list. I was curious and worried at the same time: curious to see if raisins worked well with all the spices in this cake, and worried that the quantity I’d estimated I needed to use (1 cup raisins) would be too much and would make the cake overly sweet.
Thankfully, my worries were unfounded, and the cake turned out great. I decided to play around with the spices, so I added a few more crushed juniper berries and cloves, which emphasized the spiciness of the cake without being overpowering. Unlike last time, I used the convection setting on my oven, and I was very pleased with the result: the cake raised beautifully and had a uniform golden color:
The addition of raisins was welcome, and I enjoyed the surprise element they brought to this cake. Having said this, I still think lemon zest is one of the most important ingredients here: It elevates the cake by adding a unique flavor element, and by bringing in a freshness and an assertiveness I really like.
I’ll definitely make this cake more often – and I’ll keep experimenting. ๐
