Fruit Cake

The dried fruit is soaked in bourbon overnight, so plan to begin this cake a day in advance.

Ingredients:
8 ounces red candied cherries, halved
8 ounces green candied cherries, halved
8 ounces seedless raisins or chopped dates
2 cups bourbon
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs, separated
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:
In a medium bowl, combine the cherries, raisins, and bourbon; cover and let soak overnight. Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; add the egg yolks and beat well. Stir in the soaked fruit with bourbon. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the flour with the pecans; set aside. Add the remaining flour, nutmeg, and baking powder to the creamed mixture and blend well. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; gently fold into the cake batter. Sprinkle the floured pecans over batter and fold in gently.

Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan and line the bottom with greased waxed paper. Pour the batter into the pan; bake at 275° for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cake. Turn cake out of the pan, peel off waxed paper, and store in a tightly covered container for several days.