Ingredients
1 cup shortening
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 1/3 cups stewed prunes, chopped
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
In a large bowl, mix the shortening and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and prunes. Sift the flour, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl or onto a sheet of waxed paper. Stir in the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix in the walnuts if using. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
