Old Fashion Midwest Cinnamon Raisin Bars

This is an old recipe from the Indiana and Illinois section of the Midwest.

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed down brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup hot coffee
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until crumbly. This should take a couple of minutes. Add the egg and mix well. Gradually beat the hot coffee into the mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the coffee mixture and mix well. Stir in the raisins and the pecans or walnuts.

Pour the batter into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan that has been lightly greased. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the pan and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

ICING:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
approximately 4 tsps water

While the bars cool, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough water to make mixture of spreading consistency. Spread over the warm bars. Cut into 18 bars.