Bourbon-Pecan Cake

A cake with the taste of the South. Bourbon soaked cherries and raisins make it festive.

• Ready In: 0 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup  whole  candied red cherries
• 1  cup  golden seedless raisins
• 1  cup  kentucky Bourbon
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 2  cups pecans or 2  cups walnuts, halves
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup butter or 1  cup margarine, in room temperature
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3  large eggs, separated

• CONFECTIONERS SUGAR GLAZE

• 1  cup confectioners' sugar
• 4  teaspoons milk
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla
•  candied red cherries, optional
•  pecans, optional

Directions

1. In medium size bowl, mix cherries, raisins and bourbon.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 8-24 hour.
3. Grease and flour 12 cup fluted tube pan.
4. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
5. Drain fruits, reserving bourbon.
6. In small bowl, toss ¼ flour and pecans.
7. In medium size bowl, mix remaining 2 ¼ cups flour with nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
8. In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat butter until light and fluffy.
9. Add sugar, ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
10. Add eggyolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
11. Beat in 1 cup flour mixture.
12. With mixer at medium speed, add ¼ cup reserved bourbon alternately with remaining 2 cups flour mixture, beating well each addition.
13. Batter will be thick.
14. In another large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted.
15. Stir about ¼ beaten egg whites into batter and fold in remaining egg whites.
16. Fold in cherries, raisins and nuts.
17. Turn batter into prepared pan and bake about 1 ½ hours or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
18. Remove cake from pan and brush remaining reserved bourbon.
19. Drizzle glaze down sides.
20. Cut candied cherries and pecans into quarters and garnish cake.
21. NOTE: For stronger bourbon flavor, saturate piece of cheesecloth with additional bourbon.
22. Wrap cake in cheesecloth then with foil or plastic wrap.
23. Store in refrigerator in tightly covered container for 2-3 weeks.
24. Unwrap cake, place on serving platter.
25. Drizzle with glaze and garnish as desired.
26. CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR GLAZE: In a small bowl, beat 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 4 tsp milk and ¼ tsp vanilla extract until smooth.