Cook Kirsty Carre road tests the NSW Country Women's Association's latest cook book, Jam Drops and Marble Cake.

It should be noted that all cakes and biscuits should be baked with the fan off in a convection oven. This will keep the cakes moist and avoid overcooking.

Even so, I found the temperature for the raisin chocolate cake too high and it could easily be dropped in the case of newer ovens that are possibly more efficient.

RECIPE: Boiled Raisin Chocolate Cake

To be cooked in a 20cm tin. Chocolate icing on top. No decoration.

225g raisins
375ml water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
30g cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla essence
200g butter, softened
220g caster sugar
3 eggs
185g plain flour
110g self-raising flour

chocolate icing, to serve

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm square or round cake tin and line base with baking paper. Combine raisins and the water in a saucepan, bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in bicarbonate of soda, cocoa, spices and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Stir in combined sifted flours and raisin mixture and pour into prepared tin. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand for 5 minutes. Turn out to cool. Ice with chocolate icing.

TIP: It should be noted that all cakes and biscuits should be baked with the fan off in a convection oven. This will keep the cakes moist and avoid overcooking. Even so, I found the temperature for the raisin chocolate cake too high and it could easily be dropped in the case of newer ovens that are possibly more efficient.