Boiled Eggless Raisin Cake Recipe: A GranGran Family Tradition That Stands the Test of Time

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Let's talk about the elephant in this article's title before we go any further: People read or hear me say "boiled eggless raisin" and tune out before I even get to the "cake" part. It's okay. I was once you, too. The name could definitely benefit from some workshopping but, though efforts have been made, it was introduced to me as GranGran's Boiled Eggless Raisin Cake and so it shall remain. It's a case of “try it before you knock it”. Odds are that you will become a convert, just as I did.

Anyone living overseas who has attempted to cook anything beyond the extreme basics has, sooner or later, run into the challenge of sourcing the ingredients they need. It's not a new problem, nor is it limited to geographical relocations. Even in the most familiar surroundings, desired ingredients can be hard to come by for a variety of reasons (I'm looking at you, COVID-19). Such is the origin story of this recipe, straight from a creative baker's answer to WWll rations. 

Boiled Eggless Raisin Cake has been featured in every birthday, promotion, or special event I've celebrated with my husband. It's a carryover from the days when his GranGran made it for the grandkids' celebrations. Shortly before she died, I asked her for the recipe so the tradition could carry on. She thought for a moment, handed me a blank recipe card, and proceeded to dictate a rough outline of ingredients and instructions. I was newly married, new-ish to cooking and baking, and didn't know what I didn't know yet. I didn't appreciate in the moment what is so obvious to me now: Her hands had made that cake so many times that it was less of a recipe and more of a love letter she wrote to her grandchildren over and over–the gist of the letter was the same each time but individual words varied. 

Over the next few years, I repeatedly tried to recreate the cake using my interpretation of GranGran's oral recipe, each time falling short of my husband's memory. He was kind towards my efforts but it was clear that I was missing something. As I built up my confidence in the kitchen, my willingness to adapt, rather than hold the written word as an unerring truth, increased as well. I fine-tuned the general guidance GranGran had given me, amending and adjusting, until one delightful August night my husband took a bite of his birthday cake and declared it exactly as he remembered it. This was also the moment when I became a convert. The cake, made as GranGran did it, is a not-too-sweet, never-dry, confection reminiscent of spice cake but with chocolate undertones. When you add a lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting on top, well, you can have your cake and eat it for breakfast, too.

The joy in this recipe, besides being delicious, is that it is flexible. Born out of a need to deliver a flavorful cake without a commonly used key ingredient, this recipe also accommodates a variety of food allergies and preferences. Egg allergy? Check. Dairy allergy? Leave off the frosting or swap in your favorite non-dairy substitutes. No gluten? No problem, an alternate flour mix can be subbed in. Raisins aren't your jam (Hello, Oliver!)? Strain them out before adding the dry ingredients. I've made it all the ways listed above and still enjoyed every bite. 

Once I mastered the cake, it was time to move on to the frosting. Frosting is a happy add-on, but not a necessity. GranGran provided no guidance on this front, but the internet came to my rescue. After trying and rejecting multiple cream cheese frosting recipes for being too heavy, too sweet, or both, I finally landed upon The Merchant Baker's Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. 

I follow her one-bowl method, using just 1/2 cup of sugar (this is important and counter to most recipes), and it is perfection every time. In fact, it's such a hit with my family that on my twins' most recent birthday they declined cake and asked for bowls of just frosting instead. You could also add 2 teaspoons of lemon rind and 2 tablespoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice to the frosting recipe, lightly smear it on––or add heaping globs, there's no judgment here––to ginger molasses cookies, and be prepared to do a happy dance. 

This cake can be doubled and dressed up, go low-key and frosting-free, presented as cupcakes (the frosting recipe will pipe if you have a knack for such things), or accidentally halved by way of, er, sampling (health guidelines say you should not consume raw flour but I'd be lying if I said I abided by that rule, well, ever). It's a versatile recipe that also speaks to some broader food truths: Stay flexible. Adjust to the needs of the moment. Be open to different flavors or preparations. New-to-you foods can easily become new traditions too. 

For the recipes that bring you comfort, and for the ones you have not yet discovered, may the grocery shopping odds be ever in your favor. 

Boiled Eggless Raisin Cake Recipe

Combine ingredients and boil for 4 minutes:

1.5 cups of water

1 cup of sugar

½ cup of oil (I use avocado oil)

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup raisins

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Allow the batter to cool then mix 1 tsp of baking soda (dissolved in a few teaspoons of water) into the batter followed by 2 cups of flour. Stir until just combined.

Pour batter into a 9x13 baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched lightly. 

Make the cream cheese frosting while the cake cools. Top the cake with the frosting once it has cooled completely for the prettiest results. I usually use about half of the frosting recipe for the cake and save the rest for topping cookies.

Baking Notes

Bake in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

If you are planning to remove the cake from the pan before frosting, lightly butter the pan and give it a gentle dusting of cocoa powder before pouring in the batter. Alternatively, you can line the pan with parchment paper cut to size. 

The Merchant Baker's Whipped Cream

Cream Cheese Frosting, Easy "One Bowl Method" Recipe

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package, block cream cheese, cold, you can use Neufchatel if you're not planning to pipe it

½ cup granulated white sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream or heavy cream, cold

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese for about 15 seconds or until creamy. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla and whip until fully combined.

Drizzle cold cream down the side of the bowl (to prevent splashing) and beat until stiff peaks form. You'll see your beaters leaving clear trails in the mixture at this stage.

Use immediately for frosting, piping or filling. Store leftovers and whatever you've frosted or filled in the refrigerator. Freezes well for later use. 

A Slice of Something More

In the end, this cake isn’t just about raisins or the fact that it skips eggs. It’s about memory. About love baked into layers and passed down in smudged recipe cards—or, in my case, no card at all. It’s about figuring it out as you go and realizing that sometimes the best recipes are the ones that leave room for you to grow into them.

So whether you’re recreating a family tradition or starting one of your own, may your kitchen be filled with the smell of warm spices, the laughter of loved ones, and just enough flexibility to make it your own.

And if you’re still on the fence about “boiled eggless raisin cake,” do yourself a favor—try it. You just might find that GranGran knew exactly what she was doing.