Bourbon Cake or Whisky Cake is a take on the traditional English fruit cake that’s popular in the American South. While similar to the Trinidad Black Cake in terms of the fruits used, the addition of Bourbon Whisky and Pecans give it some traditional American South character.
Fruit Blend (soaked overnight or longer)
- 16 ounces candied cherries, halved
- 8 ounces seedless golden raisins
- 2 cups 100-proof Kentucky bourbon whisky
- In a bowl, combine the cherries, raisins, and bourbon and let soak overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 300°F degrees.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ tablespoon flour
- wax paper
Generously grease the bottom and sides of an angle food cake pan. Lightly dust with flour and shake out any excess flour that does not stick to pan. Cut out a disc of wax paper the size of the bottom of the angel food cake pan, cutting a hole for the center, and place in bottom of the pan.
- 6 eggs, separated
- Separate eggs into two bowls and set aside.
- 20.5 ounces (about 4 ½ cups) cake flour, sifted
- Sift flour in a large bowl.
- 2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Stir in baking powder & nutmeg. Set aside.
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- In a separate large bowl, cream butter with an electric hand mixer.
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- Add sugar to bowl with butter and cream with electric hand mixer at high speed until light and fluffy.
- reserved egg yolks
- Add the egg yolks to the sugar mixture and beat well.
If using a stand mixer, transfer dough from mixing bowl into a large bowl.
- reserved flour
- Add flour mixture in ⅓ increments and fold by hand until just incorporated.
- reserved fruit and bourbon
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in the soaked fruit and bourbon.
- reserved egg whites
- Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into mixture.
- 1 pound pecans, chopped
- ½ cup flour
- Toss pecans with flour and add to mixture and fold gently.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 300°F until the cake tests done, about 2 to 3 ½ hours.
Remove and let cool completely.
- Soak Cake in ¼ cup Bourbon whisky
- Stuff 2 feet of folded cheese cloth into ball form and dunk in whiskey. Stuff into center of cake and drape over remaining cake. Wrap cake in wax paper and foil. Store in air tight container in a cool place. Ages well and will last for several weeks.
- To serve, pull back cheese cloth and cut desired portion. Cover remaining cake with cheese cloth and wrap tightly with aluminum foil to prevent cake from drying out and going stale.
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