1 cup Raisins
4 cups all-purpose Flour
2 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
½ t. Salt
12 T. cold Butter
1 large Egg
½ cup Honey
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup chopped Walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Put raisins in a bowl and cover with boiling water.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers until it is course.

Beat the egg until very frothy. Beat in the honey until well blended; then add the buttermilk.

Drain the raisins well and add raisins and walnuts to flour. Toss to distribute evenly.

Gradually pour the liquids in and mix with a large metal spoon so mixture is evenly moistened and you have a heavy, moist batter. Don’t use too much liquid; you don’t want a wet batter. Don’t try to mix completely; it should be rough and lumpy.

Grease a heavy loaf pan (original recipe calls for a large cast iron frying pan which also works well). Spoon batter into pan in clumps. Leave the top lumpy.

Bake about an hour until he middle is set. If using a fry pan it will not take as long to bake.

Makes 1 loaf.