French Cremes

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp. Cloves
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
3 cups flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 cup cold coffee
1 cup raisins or dates
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
hot coffee

Cream brown sugar and shortening. Add eggs, then add baking soda dissolved in hot water. Sift together cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and baking powder. Add alternately with cold coffee. Add raisins. Spread in cookie sheets not more than 3/4 to top of sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes. Cool.

Make icing with powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and enough hot coffee for spreading consistency. Frost. Cut into bars.