Holiday Gumdrop Cake

The gumdrop cake has been a holiday tradition in our family for almost 4 generations. The recipe has been adapted and changed over the years; this one is my favorite.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 766 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
• 3 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 9 cups raisins
• 3 pounds gum drops (no black licorice gum drops)
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves (Optional)
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease 2 loaf pans.

Step 2

Place raisins into a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium; boil until raisins are plump, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Step 3

Stir 1 cup flour into raisins and add gum drops and walnuts; mix to coat ingredients with flour. Beat butter, brown sugar, and eggs together in a separate bowl until creamy; mix in applesauce. Stir remaining 5 cups flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice into batter. Dissolve baking soda and hot water in a small bowl and stir into batter. Fold floured raisin mixture into batter. Divide batter between the prepared loaf pans.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 2 1/2 hours.