Cake
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup melted Crisco all-vegetable shortening plus additional for greasing
1 can (16 oz) solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tb ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Frosting
1/4 cup butter flavor crisco all-vegetable shortening
2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
3 Tbs milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
optional: chopped nuts
1. Oven at 350 F. Grease 10-inch round cake pan. Flour lightly. Place cooling rack on counter top for cooling cake.
2. For cake, pour boiling water over raisins. Drain. Press to remove excess water.
3. Combine granulated sugar, 1 cup melted shortening, pumpkin and eggs in large bowl. Beat at medium-high speed of electric mixer 5 minutes. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt and cloves in medium bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating at low speed after each addition until blended. Stir in raisins with spoon. Pour into pan.
4. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Remove cake to rack to cool. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan. Place cake, top side up, on wire rack. Cool completely. Place cake on serving plate.
5. For frosting, melt 1/4 cup shortening in small saucepan on low heat. Transfer to medium bowl. Add confectioners' (powdered) sugar. Beat at low, then high speed until blended. Add milk and vanilla. Beat at high speed until smooth and frosting is of the desired spreading consistency. Frost top and side of cake. Press nuts into side of cake and around outside top edge.
Makes one 10-inch round cake