Country Spice Cake (Torta Speziata)

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Country Spice Cake (Torta Speziata)
Categories: Cakes, Chocolate
Yield: 8 servings

2/3 c Raisins
7 tb Unsalted butter; room temp.
3/4 c Granulated sugar
1 lg Egg
1 3/4 c Plus 1 tb flour
1/2 c Plus 1tb dutch-process cocoa
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts (heaping) ground cinnamon
1 ts Ground nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground cloves
3/4 ts Salt
3/4 c Plus 1 ts warm espresso or
3/4 tb Instant espresso powder
Dissolved in
3/4 c Plus 1 scant tb hot water
Powdered sugar

In bowl soak raisins in warm water to cover 15 to 20
minutes. Drain. In bowl cream butter and granulated sugar
until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat thoroughly. Sift 1
3/4 cups flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg,
cloves and salt together. Beat in flour mixture,
alternately with espresso in 3 additions, beginning and
ending with flour. Toss raisins with 1 tablespoon flour.
Fold in batter.
Butter and flour 8-inch cake pan. Pour batter into pan and
smooth top. Bake at 350 degrees until cake shrinks
slightly away from side of pan. Cake should still be
slightly moist inside, about 40 minutes. Cool on rack.
Invert cake onto serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered
sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

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