Grandma’s Raisin Cake Recipe
Ok, so this may not be the most healthy recipe for you. But, it is one that has been in my family for many years and is enjoyed by all. It does not get made often, and still, is never made as well as my grandmother made it. But I felt I wanted to share my grandma’s raisin cake recipe with you all.
This raisin cake recipe is made from scratch and not from a box mix. I do not always get the raisins to stay throughout the cake. They sometimes sink all to the bottom. But either way, it still has amazing flavor.
I guess grandma forgot to share her secret to keeping those raisins throughout the cake..lol.
The reason I say it is not the most healthy recipe is because it uses a lot of butter, sugar and white flour. I am sure I could change it up and make it so that it was a little more healthy, but then it would no longer be her recipe and the one that my dad loves so much. So, for this one, I am going to leave it just the way she told me.
For this raisin cake recipe, you will need a round bundt cake pan. I guess it could be made in another pan, but I have never tried.
If you need to get a round bundt cake pan, you can grab one here.
When making this recipe, you can use a hand or stand mixer for most of it. But the last step, adding in the raisins needs to be done by hand. They need to be folded in and not just mixed. If you just mix them in, you will for sure have them all sink to the bottom.
You get the best result of the raisins staying in the cake mix when they are folded in by hand. But be sure not to over do it.
Note: after you have finished the cake, a great way to keep it fresh and moist is with an apple. Slice the apple into 4 pieces and place in the center of the cake. Wrap with foil or cover with cake cover.
If you like this raisin cake recipe, here are a few others you may want to check out.
- Healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake – 3 Ingredient – Dairy, Sugar & Gluten Free!
- Pecan Shortbread Cranberry Cookie Recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Ginger Lacey Crunch Cookies
- Carrot Cake Recipe
Raisin Cake Recipe
Grandma's Raisin Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Eggs
- 3 Sticks Butter Room Temperature
- 1 ½ Tbsp. Lemon Extract
- 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- 3 ½ Cups Flour
- 1 ½ Tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 Cup Milk
- 15 oz Raisins Sun Maid
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- 3 Cups Sugar
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
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Grease the bundt pan well. Be sure to get the bottom, center and sides of the pan.
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In small bowl mix milk and baking powder.
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In large bowl cream butter and then add eggs in one at a time.
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Next, mix in lemon, vanilla, flour, sugar, salt. Mix well.
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Now add the milk mixture into the batter. Mix well.
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Now by hand, fold in the raisins slowly. Be sure the raisins are not in clumps.
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Dump batter into greased pan evenly.
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Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 min.
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Then turn off oven and open it slightly. Leave cake in oven for another 10 minutes.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
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Flip onto a cooling rack or plate and allow to cool fully before serving.
teachermrw says
Hi! I made this cake on 3/17/17 for my Dear Mother’s 81st birthday. She likes raisin cake as much as she likes pound cake. The cake is very good. However, it stuck to the pan. I mean, it stuck to the pan, and fell apart. My Dear Mother analyzed the situation, She determined that, given the denseness of the batter/cake, it wasn’t going to come out of the pan I used, which was a standard bundt pan. It seemed that it didn’t have enough room to “breathe”. Also, the cake wasn’t even done in sections; it was soft, as we determined as we ate the cake, and, despite the length of time posted on the recipe. My gut told me to use a tube pan, which is larger than the bundt pan, but, I didn’t. So, you might want to give some dimensions re: what size pan you use for this cake. I, nonetheless, proceeded to order an extra large bundt pan.
As one who won’t be defeated, I will try this cake again, with a larger pan. Dear Mom deserves a whole cake. 🙂
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
So sorry to hear your cake did not turn out! Maybe it has to do with the area you live or something as baking can vary slightly like that.
Hopefully the change of pans will help correct the issue for you. You will have to come back and let us know if the new tube pan works for your raisin cake the next time. That way I can make a note in the post for any others that may have issues.
Marcy W. says
Hi. It’s been almost a year since I wrote. I did, in fact, purchase an extra large bundt cake pan. However, I never got the chance to make it again for my Dear Mom: She passed away May 11, 2017. I did make the cake for my Dear Dad and Dear Brother some months later, for my Dear Dad’s birthday. Not only did the cake come out perfectly, it was also even more delicious than the first one. Mom’s spirit was around me and the cake that day, and her analysis was correct; the pan I used the first time was much too small, given the density of the cake.
Even though my Dear Mom won’t be here to celebrate her birthday on Saturday, March 17, 2018, the raisin cake will be served, in memory and honor of her.
As an aside, I realize that, as home cooks, we don’t always consider such things like batter density and pan size, but, they do make a difference.
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Oh so sorry to hear about the loss of your mom! That is great that using a different pan worked for you. Thank you so much for letting me know it worked.
Wanda H. says
Hi have you tried dusting the raisins with flour before folding into the cake? It works like a charm for my muffins.
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
I have and did not find that it worked any better.
Rita says
This is what I have been doing for years. Put raisins in a bowl, put a it 1/4 cup of flour in with the raisins. I use my hand and mix together. Make sure every raisin is covered. If there is still flour left in the bowl gently take a handful of the raisins, lightly shake, and add to the cake. I stir after each hand of raisins. Stir gently more of a fold. I add 1 handful, fold twice and continue until all the raisins are in the mix.. Good luck!
Wanda H. says
I’m going to make this for my grandsons birthday. He has recently discovered that he loves raisins, and asked for a raisin cake . So I set out to find a raisin cake recipe and yours looks like it is so moist and delicious . Anxious to try it!! I hope mine is as good as yours looks. Thanks
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Hope he loves it as much as we do!
Wanda H. says
Yes we love this cake! It’s the first cake my husband didn’t go around pretending to blow flour out of his mouth because it was dry ( he’s such a cut up!!) This one was so moist!
Because it was a birthday cake I made it in two loaf pans. And put them together so I could decorate the top. The loaf pans were the perfect size in case anyone else is wondering.
Some if my raisins were throughout the cake but some went to the bottom. Next time I’m still going to dust the raisins but I will put 1/3 of the batter in the pan first then put the raisins in the remaining 2/3 batter and very carefully pour it into the pan. I will definitely be making this again thanks for your grandma’s recipe!
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
I am so happy you and your family enjoyed it Wanda. Thanks for letting me know, that made my day!
P. says
Hi I have been looking for a Raisin cake recipe. I’m going to try this one. I don’t know how soon I will use it, but I will let you know how my family and I enjoy it. I remember my parents always cooking cakes during the holidays.
Thurcia says
I did a third of the recipe and made these into 12 muffins. At 48 minutes (plus 5 with the door open), they were moist and delicious. A cool method too to change things up a bit! Thank you for this recipe!
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Happy you liked it Thurcia!
Helen m. says
To keep raisins from sinking to the bottom- toss the raisins in some flour then shake off x flour in a mesh sifter
then mix in to batter.
Missy C. says
Is this self rising flour or cake flour used in this recipe/
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
We just use All-purpose flour.
Annie L. says
I made this by your recipe and was delicious. The next time I used only vanilla extract no lemon extract, but added two tablespoons cinnamon, then drizzled with powder sugar glaze. We liked it both ways. What a versatile recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Jackie says
No came out very good. The batter was so good tasting. And so was the finish product. If I make it again, I wouldn’t add as many raisins. Just make sure you grease your pan with lots of shortening and flour. I used a deep tube pan and it came out great.