Kentucky Christmas Cake

A good-keeping cake, similar to a pound cake. Don't worry about the alcohol in the whiskey...it evaporates from the cake during the baking process, leaving only a delicious flavor accent. If desired, this cake may be decorated before baking with candied fruit and pecan halves. Wedges of leftover cake can be heated in the top of a double boiler and served with a hard sauce as for plum pudding.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons nutmeg
• 1⁄4 cup  whiskey
• 1  lb pecans, shelled and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 lb raisins or 1⁄2 lb sultana
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour, divided
• 1  cup real butter (if using margarine, not spread or tub product) or 1  cup margarine (if using margarine, not spread or tub product)
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 5  eggs
• 1  teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F and grease and flour a 10" tube pan.
2. Soak the nutmeg in the whiskey for ten minutes.
3. Stir together pecans, raisins, and 1/4 cup flour; set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time until well incorporated.
6. Fold in remaining 1 1/4 cups flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, soaked nutmeg and pecan/raisin mixture until well combined.
7. Spoon into prepared pan.
8. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake pulls away slightly from the edge of the pan.
9. Let stand in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack for complete cooling.
10. Store in an airtight container.