BOURBON-PECAN CAKE

Steps:

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