Maine is where “Old Hermit Cake” originated. Spiced cake with raisins, walnuts, and honey. The cake’s name comes from the idea that the spices and seasonings would preserve it like a hermit.
Old Hermit Cake is the ideal fall and winter New England dessert. For colder weather, this spiced cake has raisins, walnuts, and honey. I’ll show you how to make Old Hermit Cake in this blog post, along with some tips to improve it. Start!
Old Hermit Cake Ingredients
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients The first step to making Old Hermit Cake is to gather all of your ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Make sure you have all of these ingredients on hand before you begin. You can adjust the number of raisins and walnuts to your preference, but keep in mind that these are what give the cake its signature flavor.
How To Make Old Hermit Cake – Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 2: Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Your Pan Next, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cake later.
Step 3: Mix Your Dry Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Make sure all the ingredients are well combined.
Step 4: Mix Your Wet Ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, molasses, and eggs. Gradually add the hot water, whisking continuously, until everything is well combined.
Step 5: Combine Your Wet and Dry Ingredients Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well combined. Fold in the raisins and chopped walnuts until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step 6: Bake Your Cake Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Let Your Cake Cool Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan. Once the cake is cool, you can remove it from the pan and slice it into individual servings.
Hermit Cake FAQs
Can I substitute vegetable oil with a different type of oil?
Yes, you can use any neutral-tasting oil like canola oil or grapeseed oil.
Can I leave out the raisins and walnuts?
You can, but keep in mind that they add a lot of flavor to the cake.
Can I freeze Old Hermit Cake?
Yes, you can freeze the cake for up to three months. To thaw, simply leave it at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.
How To Serve Homemade Hermit Cake
Plain: Old Hermit Cake is delicious on its own, so you can simply slice it into pieces and serve it as is. You can dust the top with a little powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
With whipped cream: If you’re feeling fancy, you can serve your Old Hermit Cake with a dollop of whipped cream on top. This adds a light, airy texture that complements the dense cake.
With caramel sauce: Old Hermit Cake pairs well with caramel sauce, which adds a rich, buttery flavor. You can make your own caramel sauce or use store-bought.
With vanilla ice cream: For a classic combination, serve your Old Hermit Cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool, creamy ice cream contrasts with the warm, spiced cake for a delicious treat.
Old Hermit Cake Variations
Add chopped apples to the batter along with the raisins and walnuts for a fruity twist on the classic recipe.
Substitute pumpkin puree for the vegetable oil and add a little extra cinnamon and nutmeg for a fall-inspired cake.
Mix in cocoa powder to the dry ingredients and add chocolate chips to the batter for a chocolatey version of the cake.
Add lemon zest and juice to the batter for a bright, citrusy flavor.
Increase the amount of molasses in the recipe and add more ginger for a spicier, gingerbread-inspired cake.
Use a flax egg or applesauce instead of eggs and substitute vegan butter for the vegetable oil to make a vegan-friendly version of the cake.
Old Hermit Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cake later.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Make sure all the ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, molasses, and eggs. Gradually add the hot water, whisking continuously, until everything is well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until everything is well combined. Fold in the raisins and chopped walnuts until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan. Once the cake is cool, you can remove it from the pan and slice it into individual servings.
