Clove Cake with Caramel Icing

Cake Mixture:
3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon ground cloves
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
5 eggs
1 cup soft butter
2-1/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk

Caramel Frosting: 
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup cream or evaporated milk
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR 1/2 teaspoon maple extract

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Make cake: 
Sift 2-3/4 cup flour with cloves, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt over a piece of waxed paper. Toss raisins with remaining flour. In small bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer until light and fluffy; set aside.

In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating mixture until light (about 5 minutes). Beat eggs into sugar mixture, scraping sides as necessary. Reduce mixer to low; alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk into sugar-egg mixture. Beat only until blended.

Stir in raisins and pour batter into greased and floured tube pan (angel food cake pan).

Bake 60-65 minutes @ 350 degrees. Place on wired rack to collfor 20 minutes. Gently loosen with spatula and cool on rack for an hour.

Make Caramel Frosting:
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir until smooth. Bring sugar mixture to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat.  Add cream and return to boil over low heat. Remove from heat and cool to 110 degrees.  Beat confectioners sugar into warm butter mixture until frosting is thick. Add vanilla or maple extract. 

 If frosting seems too thin, gradually add more confectioners sugar. Set in bowl of ice water and beat until thick enough to spread ( frosting should barely hold shape). Frost cake and press walnuts onto sides of cake.   

This is the cake I made for Dad's 86th Birthday. It was always one of Kim's favorites!