Grandma Cracker's Holiday Cake

This is the kind of cake that comes with a story, passed down from a grandmother who probably made it every December without ever writing down the recipe. A dense, moist spice cake loaded with stewed prunes and chopped pecans, made rich with vegetable oil and tangy buttermilk.

The spice trio of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice gives it a warm, holiday fragrance that fills the kitchen. Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to create a tender crumb, and the oil keeps the cake moist for days longer than a butter-based cake would last.

The icing technique is the part you won’t find in modern cookbooks. A buttermilk and sugar mixture cooked to soft-ball stage, then poured directly over the cake five minutes before it comes out of the oven. The hot icing soaks into the top of the still-baking cake, creating a sticky, caramelized glaze that bonds to the surface.

Kitchen Tips

• Stew the prunes until soft and chop them small. Large chunks create wet pockets in the cake that don’t cook through. Evenly distributed small pieces give you prune flavor in every bite.
• Use a candy thermometer for the icing. Soft-ball stage is 235°F to 240°F (113°C to 116°C). Under-cooked icing runs off the cake. Over-cooked icing hardens into a shell.
• Don’t skip the 5-minute trick. Pouring the hot icing onto the cake while it’s still baking lets it partially absorb into the surface, creating a finish you can’t get by icing a cooled cake.

Variations

• Date swap: Replace the prunes with chopped Medjool dates for a similar sticky sweetness with a milder, caramel-like flavor.
• Cream cheese icing: For a more modern take, skip the buttermilk icing and frost the cooled cake with cream cheese frosting.