When dissolving the yeast, make sure you use warm (not hot) water. If the water is too hot, you will kill the yeast and won’t get a good rise to your dough.

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (not hot)
2 packages of dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
6 1/2 to 7 cups of all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve both packets of yeast with the warm water and let sit for 1 minute. Add in the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, salt, egg and half of the all-purpose flour. Mix with a spoon until the dough is smooth, adding enough of the remaining flour to thicken it up until its of a dough consistency. You might have to use your hands.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured dough board and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough into a well-greased bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Let it rise until it has doubled in size.

Additional Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
2 cups of raisins

In a small bowl, combined the granulated sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped nuts and set aside.

Cut dough into pieces the size of walnuts and shape into small balls. Roll each ball in melted butter, then the cinnamon, sugar and nut mixture.

Place one layer of balls so they are barely touching…in a well greased 10″ round tube pan. Sprinkle with a layer of raisins and then add another layer of dough balls; sprinkle with another layer of raisins. Cover the tube pan and let rise for 45 minutes. (You might have to press down on the dough to fit them all into the baking pan).

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and invert pan so that the butter and sugar mixture runs down over the cake.

Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 in Direct Sales and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can visit Shelly online at: http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her recipe blog at: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes.