Christmas Cake

This is an old recipe that has been passed down through my friend, Heidi Baldree's, family. She calls it Christmas Cake only because she doesn't want her kids to know what's really in it. If they knew it was a "Spice Cake", or that it had prunes in it, they wouldn't eat it.....well it fooled me too, this cake is oh-so-good!!! Moist and full of flavor :)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup pitted prunes - cook, cool, then squish between fingers ----or do as Heidi and just buy regular prunes and chop them up in a automatic nut chopper/food processor
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350
Blend sugar and oil
Add beaten eggs
Add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk
Add prunes, nuts, and vanilla
Pour into a greased and floured 9x13x2 cake pan.
Bake until cake tests done (about 45 minutes)
Let cool in pan about 10 minutes.
Poke holes through cake with handle of wooden spoon.

TOPPING:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup (like Karo)
1/2 stick of butter (cut into pieces)
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan.
Bring to a boil
Boil until mixture will spin a thread when poured off the end of a spoon--about 10 minutes
Cool slightly and pour sauce over top of cake.

Stores well when wrapped tightly.