HOLIDAY WHISKEY CAKE (MAKE AHEAD)

Holiday Whiskey Cake (make ahead) image

Provided by Pat Duran @kitchenChatter

Categories Cakes

Number Of Ingredients 18

CAKE:
1 cup(s) butter, room temperature
2 cup(s) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla
3 1/4 cup(s) sifted all purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) milk
8 large egg whites save yolks for icing
ICING:
8 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cup(s) granulated sugar
1/2 cup(s) butter
2 cup(s) chopped pecans
2 cup(s) finely chopped raw cranberries, or seeded currants
1 3/4 cup(s) shredded coconut
2 cup(s) finely chopped candied cherries/ mixture of 1/2 green and 1/2 red
1/2 cup(s) whiskey ( you can use orange juice, if desired)

Steps:

Cake: Preheat oven to 350^. Spray four round 9-inch cake pans with non stick spray,then fit with parchment paper and spray the paper too, set aside. --- Cream butter and gradually add in sugar. Beat mixture until light and fluffy; mix in vanilla. Still using the electric mixer, slowly add in flour, baking powder, and salt. To keep the batter at a manageable consistency, alternate adding dry ingredients and splashes of milk. Beat batter until smooth.
In another bowl, beat egg whites with mixer on high until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into cake batter with a spatula. Batter will be very thick.
Spoon batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean; remove and let stand for 10 minutes before turning cakes out on wire cooling rack.
Icing: While cake cools; beat egg yolks with a fork and put them in a saucepan with sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until sugar is all dissolved and mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining icing ingredients. Let stand until cool. --- Spread cooled icing between cake layers and on top of assembled cake. Place the iced cake in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days to allow it to flavor before serving.