Hunter'S Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup molasses
6 tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon rum
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

In a large covered cooking pot, combine raisins, sugar, water, molasses, shortening, cinnamon, cloves, salt, nutmeg, and rum. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring often. Let cool to room temperature, preferably overnight.
Combine flour and baking soda and stir into the cooled mixture. Stir by hand and only enough to thoroughly mix in the flour.
Grease 2 bread pans and line bottom with waxed paper. Pour mixture into pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Check to see if a toothpick comes out clean, and if not, bake up to 10 minutes more. Do not overbake.
Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around sides and remove cakes from pans. Cool completely and wrap in aluminum foil.