- 1½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 scant teaspoon crushed cardamom (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 cup sugar (white or firmly packed brown)
- ½ cup (¼ pound) unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup raisins or currants (optional)
- Fine, dry bread crumbs
- Sift flour with baking soda, salt and spices and set aside.
- Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.
- Resift flour in gradually, alternating with sour cream and beating well between additions. Fold in raisins or currants.
- Butter a 9-inch loaf pan, a 9-inch square pan or a 9-inch fluted tube pan and sprinkle inside with fine bread crumbs, tapping excess out.
- Turn batter into pan and bake in preheated 325° oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool until cake shrinks from sides of pan, then invert onto a rack and cool completely.