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 alternatelywith 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 turninout
onto a rack. Brush the remaining 1/2 cup of bourbon over the cake
whileit 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.
Yields
1 servings