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Christmas: Kentucky Whiskey Cake

Source of Recipe


From "Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts"






List of Ingredients



• 4½ cups dark and light raisins (or all dark)
  
• 1 cup bourbon
  
• Dry, unseasoned bread crumbs (about 2 Tbsp)
  
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tsp double-acting baking powder
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  
• 2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 6 eggs, separated
  
• 5 cups pecan halves
  






Instructions



1. At least a day before baking, soak the raisins in the bourbon in an airtight container, turning often.
   
   
2. Heat oven to 300° F. Place oven rack up one-third from bottom. Butter a 10- x 4-inch tube pan, line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom, butter the parchment, and dust with bread crumbs; tap out excess.
   
   
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of the salt; set aside. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft. Add the nutmeg and 1¾ cups of the sugar (reserve ¼ cup), and beat 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks all at once and beat for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary. On low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the raisins and bourbon. Add another one-third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the raisins, and then the last of the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Remove from mixer and stir in the nuts. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
   
4. With clean beaters in a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until they hold a soft shape. Reduce speed and add remaining ¼ cup sugar. Increase speed and beat until the whites hold a shape but are not stiff or dry. Fold ¼ of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest. Turn mixture into prepared pan, smoothing the top.
   
   
5. Bake for 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes, or until tester comes out dry and clean. Let stand out of oven for 30 minutes. Cover with a rack and turn over, remove paper liner and turn again. Cool completely. Soak cheesecloth or paper towel in additional bourbon and stuff into center of cake and/or over the top. Wrap airtight and refrigerate several days before serving. Or you can freeze it. Best served cold.
   
   Makes 20 servings.