An easy, heavenly cake with raisins and frosting that stays fresh for days—even better after a little time to soak in all the flavors. This makes it the perfect make-ahead cake for any occasion.
Taste and Occasion
This raisin cake recipe comes straight from my grandma. She got it from a pastry chef when she was just a teenager, although back then it was called "English Cake." Or just "The English" 😉. I decided to rename it to make it more recognizable. But honestly, once you take a bite of grandma's moist raisin cake, the name won't matter at all—it's that good!
Ingredients
There are a few reasons why this simple raisin cake is so moist. First, the batter has a generous amount of butter and eggs compared to flour, much like a classic marble or pound cake. Second, the raisins are soaked in juice or rum beforehand, adding moisture and flavor. Lastly, the cake gets a delicious glaze made from jam and icing that helps preserve its freshness.
I've made a few tweaks to grandma's original recipe, like reducing the sugar and simplifying the egg preparation. Unlike the old days, modern kitchen tools make mixing easier, so there's no need to separate the eggs. Though the recipe is straightforward (if you follow my cake batter tips), there is one important thing to note: This cake must cool completely before slicing, and it’s best to let it rest overnight. This ensures the texture is moist, perfectly set, and easy to cut without crumbling.
How to make the Raisin Cake
Start by mixing the raisins with juice or rum in a container—if you have time, do this the night before to let them really soak. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8.5 to 9.5 inch (22-24 cm) loaf pan and dust it lightly with flour.
Beat the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture, along with the lemon juice, and mix just until everything is combined. Toss the raisins in a couple of tablespoons of flour before gently folding them into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake is browning too quickly towards the end, cover it loosely with foil. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the glaze, heat the jam until it’s more liquid and brush it thinly over the cake. Let it set for a few minutes, or speed it up by placing the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes. Mix powdered sugar with milk or lemon juice to make a thick but pourable icing, and spread a thin layer over the cake. Once the icing is set, wrap the cake in foil and let it rest in a cool place overnight.
Top Tip
If you find that raisins tend to sink to the bottom of your cake, here’s a trick: Make sure the batter isn’t too thin, and roll the raisins in flour before folding them in. This helps keep them suspended throughout the cake.
Recipe Card
Raisin Cake
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan (8.5 in / 22cm)
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 230 grams (1 cup) butter, soft
- 180 grams (1 cup) sugar, coarse
- 5 eggs, medium, room temperature
- 200 grams (1 â…” cups) all-purpose flour
- 80 grams (â…” cup) cornstarch
- ½ small bag baking powder, 7g
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 150 grams (1 cups) raisins
- 2 tablespoons juice, or rum
For glazing
- 80 grams (â…“ cup) apricot jam, or other fruit
- 130 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk, or lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix the raisins with juice or rum and set aside. Ideally, let them soak overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease a loaf pan with (depending on the desired height) 8.5-9.5 in / 22-24 cm long and dust with a bit of flour.
- Beat the butter with the sugar for a few minutes until very fluffy, then add the eggs one by one. Mix the flour, starch, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the butter-egg cream together with the lemon juice - but only until the dough is homogeneous.
- Roll the raisins in about 2 tablespoons of flour; alternatively, add the flour to the preserving container, put the lid on, and shake everything well. Gently fold raisins into the dough.
- Pour dough into a pan, smooth out, and bake 50-60 minutes. Test with chopsticks. Cover if necessary to prevent the cake from getting too dark towards the end of baking time. Let cool for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.
- For the glaze, heat the jam briefly so that it is slightly more liquid. Brush the cake thinly with it. Allow the jam coating to dry briefly, or place the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes. Mix sifted powdered sugar with milk or lemon juice to a not-too-liquid glaze. Spread a thin layer on the cake.
- As soon as the glaze is firm, wrap the cake in foil and set it in a cool place, preferably overnight.
Notes
Ingredient substitutions
Variations
If you like this raisin cake, you might also enjoy trying other recipes from grandma, like her yeast-risen cake, her apple crumble cake, nut cake, spice cake, or eggnog cake.
I only use large eggs. Do you think 3 large would work instead of the 5 medium?
Hi, how much do they wheigh? I would try it with 4 large eggs.
Just like when my mother made when we were little
Hi Anthony,
thank you, that is lovely to hear. A cake that tastes like your mother's baking is exactly what Grandma's raisin cake is meant to be.
Thanks for the recipe. What's the best way to freeze it if I want to add glaze/icing in 2 days time?
Hi Nadine,
the Raisin Cake freezes really well, with or without the glaze. So you can freeze it unglazed, wrap it well and let it thaw slowly. Once it has thawed, just add the glaze or icing when you're ready to serve it in two days.
Best wishes,
Kathrin