BOURBON PECAN HOLIDAY CAKE

2 c. whole red candied cherries
2 c. white seedless raisins
2 c. bourbon
2 c. softened butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed
8 eggs, separated
5 c. sifted all-purpose flour
4 c. pecan halves
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine cherries, raisins and bourbon in large mixing bowl. Cover tightly and let stand in refrigerator overnight.

THE NEXT DAY:
Drain fruits and reserve bourbon; set aside.

Place butter in large bowl of electric mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugars gradually, beating on medium speed until well blended. Add egg yolks, beating until well blended; set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of the flour with the pecans. Sift remaining flour with the baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add 2 cups of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the reserved bourbon and the remainder of the flour mixture alternately, ending with flour. Beat well after each addition; set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry; fold gently into cake batter. Add drained fruits and floured pecans to the cake batter. Blend thoroughly.

Grease a 10 inch tube pan; line with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour waxed paper. Pour cake batter into pan within 1 inch of the top. (Or bake in loaf pans prepared in same manner as tube pan.)

Place in 275 degree F oven; bake tube cake 4 1/2-5 hours and loaf cake 2 hours or until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on cake rack 2-3 hours.

Remove from pans, peel off waxed paper. Wrap cakes in cheese cloth saturated in bourbon, then wrap in plastic wrap and store in tightly covered container in refrigerator for several weeks.

Cut in thin slices to serve.