War Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation

Put the first 7 ingredients in a heavy gauge saucepan and bring to a boil.
Cook gently for 5 minutes and remove from heat and let cool until mixture is comfortably cool to your finger.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add them to the cooled sugar mixture, beat well.
Stir in walnuts.
Bake for 45 minutes or toothpick comes out of center clean.
Cool in pans 10 minutes and then turn out on plate and cool completely.