SUGAR PLUM CAKE

3 cups sugar, divided use
1 cup oil
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp baking soda, divided use
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, divided use
1 cup chopped prunes
1 cup chopped nuts
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a tube or bundt pan.

Combine 2 cups of the sugar, oil, and eggs.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, 1 teaspoon of the baking soda, and salt. Add alternating with 1 cup of the buttermilk to sugar mixture.

Stir in prunes and nuts. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool cake a couple of minutes then turn out of pan onto rack. Cool completely.

For icing, combine in a saucepan the remaining 1 cup sugar, remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk, butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Place cake on a serving dish. Poke holes in cake and pour icing over cake.