Old Grand Dad Bourbon Cake

This cake is a tradition in our family at Christmas time. The traditional recipe calls for 100 proof Old Grand Dad Bourbon. A little time consuming, but worth it!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 10'' cake

Ingredients

• 2  cups white sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups  softened butter, no substitutes
• 6  eggs
• 1⁄2 cup dark molasses
• 1⁄2 cup Bourbon
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1⁄2 lbs pecan halves
• 1 1⁄2 lbs raisins
• 4  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons nutmeg
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
•  pecan halves, for decorating top cake
•  maraschino cherry, for decorating top cake

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Well grease bottom, sides and middle tube of a 10 in tube pan. Cut brown paper bags to fit the bottom, sides and middle tube. Line pan with brown paper bags and grease very well, making sure the bags stay in place.
3. Take out a 1/4 cup of the flour and mix with the pecan halves and raisins. Set aside.
4. Mix remaining flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until blended.
6. Add eggs and beat well.
7. Dissolve baking soda in the bourbon. Add bourbon mixture and molasses to butter/egg mixture. Mix well.
8. Stir in both flour mixtures.
9. *Note batter will be thick.
10. Carefully pour batter into the pan making sure the bags are staying in place.
11. Top batter decoratively with some pecan halves and maraschino cherries.
12. Bake for 2 hours 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
13. Cool 20 minutes on a cooling rack.
14. Remove from pan and carefully remove brown paper bags. Flip over on serving plate so cherries and pecans are on top.
15. Cool completely before serving.