Be sure the starter is warm and very active. Cream the shortening and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add starter and buttermilk ( be nice and gentle with the starter). Sift and add dry ingredients, prunes and nuts. Bake at 180ºC or abut 40 minutes in a well greased and floured cake tin (pan) about 9 x 13. NOTE: orange cream cheese icing is good on this. Use Dates instead of prunes. Can make 2.5 dosen cupcakes instead of cake but bake them only about 25 minutes Pat Dwigan ----