Prune Cake

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 cup pitted prunes
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• Icing:
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup, such as Karo

Directions

Combine prunes and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until prunes are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as a Bundt(R)).

Mix flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, allspice, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Combine vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, and eggs in a separate bowl; pour them into the flour mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Use an electric mixer to blend in the drained prunes; the mixer will break them up a bit. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack.

To make icing, combine 1 cup sugar, margarine, 1/2 cup buttermilk, vanilla extract, and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for a full 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Invert cake onto a platter and pour hot icing over the cake.