Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/3 cups stewed prunes, chopped
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the shortening and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and prunes. Sift the flour, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl or onto a sheet of waxed paper. Stir in the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix in the walnuts if using. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the crown of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.