Coffee Glazed Spice Bars

Chili outside, Chili in the slow cooker.  Dessert is fresh out of  the oven and cornbread is waiting to be made. 

When I was a kid, my mom would buy a spice loaf cake with white frosting from the A&P store. It was my brother's favorite store bought cake.  Coincidentally, spice cake is one of my hubby's, too. So I found a recipe titled, Coffee glazed Bars. The recipe called for raisins, but having a family not found of raisins I used Sultanas.  It is like using dried plums instead of prunes.

The book that I used was Judith M. Fertig's, All American Desserts  It is full of wonderful down to earth recipes.  Recipes that you wonder how did they use make that. ( My grandmother use to make George Washington Pudding from the sour cherry tree that grew in our backyard.  Wish I had that one.)  The recipes are all accompanied by a blurb about the recipe.  She covers a wide selection:
preserves and desserts, cookies, cakes, puddings, custard, flans, ice cream, candy syrups,and beverages.  Definitely a book to add to your collection. Go here to get the book. You won't be disappointed!!

Here is my adapted recipe for Coffee Glazed Bars. 375 degrees for 20 minutes


Bars:
1 cup sultanas                                                       1 teaspoon cinnamon
a cup water                                                           1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil                                                 1 teaspoon ground cloves                                         
1 beaten egg                                                          1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Coffee glaze:
!/4 cup warm water
1 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
2 cups powder sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven 375.  Spray a 9x13 pan.
Put sultanas in a pan with water.  Bring to a boil, remove, let sit until luke warm.  Put into s medium sized mixing bowl.  Add egg, incorporate and add beaten egg. Sift the rest of the ingredients except almond in a separate bowl.  Add almonds to dry ingredients then stir into sultana mixture.  Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean (about twenty minutes)

Make glaze.  Dissolve espresso powder in water, add almond extract and sift powder sugar into mixture. Beat with an electric beater. 

 

Sorry but the cake was attacked before I could get a picture.  It is very good.  Not like the A&P cake in texture but its taste is reminiscent of that by gone cake.  I will look for another but I am happy with this recipe.  I am going to put the spices in a sandwich bag and when I go to Florida to visit my brother, I can make it for him.  I hope security at the airport does not mistake it for drugs!!