2 c Raisins
1/2 c Bourbon
1/4 c Butter; softened
1 1/2 c Sugar
5 Eggs
4 c Flour; sifted
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Baking soda
1 pn Salt
1 ts Lemon zest; grated
1 tb Lemon juice
1 c Pecans; chopped
Marinate raisins in 1 cup of the bourbon for at least
1 hour, up to 12 hours; drain, reserving both raisins
and bourbon. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and
flour a 10-inch Bundt cake pan or other tube-cake pan.
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and
fluffy. (For best results, use an electric mixer and
start beating at a slow speed, gradually increasing to
moderate. If you allow this process to take about 15
minutes, the butter will be very pale and look
something like whipped cream. This adds lightness to
the cake.) Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, beating well
after each. In another bowl, sift together 3 3/4 cups
of the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Combine
reserved bourbon with the zest and lemon juice. Add
dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with
the bourbon mixture. Toss the remaining 1/4 cup of
flour with the drained raisins and the pecans. Fold
into batter. Bake about 11/2 hours or until the cake
tests done. Cool about 10 minutes in the pan before
turning out onto a rack. Brush the remaining 1/2 cup of
bourbon over the cake while it is still somewhat warm.
For long storage, wrap the cake in rinsed cheesecloth
that has been thoroughly moistened in bourbon. Then
wrap in plastic or foil so that it is airtight. The
cake may be served after a day or two but is better if
allowed to age.
Yields
1 Servings