Stolichniy Cake

Rinse the raisins thoroughly in warm water and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Beat the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar together until well combined (you can warm the butter briefly in the microwave beforehand, but do not melt it).

Add the eggs and salt, and beat well.

Add the raisins and beat to combine.

Sift the flour ahead of time. Add the baking powder and most of the flour, and beat with a mixer.

Add the remaining flour and stir by hand with a spoon (the batter will be very thick).

Grease the pan well with butter (I used a 24x10 cm pan). Spoon in the batter and smooth the surface evenly with a spoon.

Dip the handle of a spoon in water and press a deep groove down the center of the batter (this helps the cake split evenly in the right place). Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C for 50–60 minutes, or until fully done.

Be sure to check for doneness in the center with a toothpick, and bake longer if needed. The finished cake will be very dark on the outside and will have a characteristic lengthwise crack on top.

Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack, then dust with powdered sugar. And here's what the Stolichniy Cake looks like on the inside.