Spiced Prune Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups packed pitted prunes, chopped
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1 2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan, then line the base with parchment paper. Put the prunes in a medium bowl, cover them with the boiling water, and leave them to soften for 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until the mixture is even. Add the prunes along with all of their soaking liquid, and stir them in.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk only until the batter is nearly blended. Fold in the nuts until they are evenly mixed through.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden, barely firm in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack and let it cool all the way.
5. Once the cake has cooled, whisk the confectioners sugar, cream cheese, and milk until smooth. If needed, add more milk to loosen it enough to drizzle, without making it runny. Spoon the icing over the cake and serve.