Holiday Gumdrop Cake

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease 2 loaf pans.

Place raisins into a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium; boil until raisins are plump, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Stir 1 cup flour into raisins and add gum drops and walnuts; mix to coat ingredients with flour. Beat butter, brown sugar, and eggs together in a separate bowl until creamy; mix in applesauce. Stir remaining 5 cups flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice into batter. Dissolve baking soda and hot water in a small bowl and stir into batter. Fold floured raisin mixture into batter. Divide batter between the prepared loaf pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 2 1/2 hours.