Whiskey Cake

¼ cup bourbon, plus more for you

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

1 cup flour, plus more for dusting

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, beaten

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

¼ cup milk

¼ cup molasses

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.

1. First, take the bourbon out of the cupboard and have a small snort for medicinal purposes. Now, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the beaten eggs, a little at a time.

2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg, and add to the batter. Then beat in the milk. Combine the molasses and baking soda and mix into the batter. To help prevent the raisins and pecans from sinking, dust them with flour, shaking off excess. Mix them, along with the bourbon, into the batter until combined. Transfer to the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes up clean, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Makes 1 loaf.

NOTE: Whiskey cake keeps practically forever, wrapped in aluminum foil, in your refrigerator. It gets better and better too, if you buck it up once in a while by using an eyedropper to add a little more whiskey.

You're gonna make me try this aren't you Ray <LOL>

Michael

I printed it. I'd make it now but I don't have any raisins in the house.

I think I'm gonna try it tomorrow. Thanks, Ray.

I'll be looking for the review.

khari said:

I think I'm gonna try it tomorrow. Thanks, Ray.

Click to expand...

Well, it was pretty boring at the home today, so I decided to make the cake. It's very good. I was impressed with how fine grained and moist it was. It could use more bourbon however, so I sprinkled some Jim Beam over the top and bottom and wrapped it in foil for aging. I'll let you know how that changes things.

There are, however, somethings that I might do different next time. First of all, I would recommend shortening, rather than butter, as a release agent in the pan. In my experience it works better. Also, I think a dark Jamaican rum would work well in this cake and would be a better compliment to the molasses. I also might try Maple syrup instead of molasses. All in all, though, this is an excellent cake and would recommend you try it. Thanks Ray, this will become another weapon in my culinary arsenal.

Doc.

this resembles my grandmothers fruit cake. very close in overall structure. (depression era oklahoma recipe)..

candied citron was not yet commercially available (i am supposing) and the 'fruit' part was candied orange and lemon peel, lots of pecans (native/local) and raisens (liable to be 'possum grape' raisens, wild) ..

and a LOT OF WHISKEY.. (uh, lets fog over why it was *always* available)..

granny made it 3 weeks in advance and kept it wrapped in a whiskey soaked dishtowel, and gave it a fresh dose of whisky as needed.

she served it warmed, with fresh (unwhipped) cream.. in a saucer. I got a few nibbles, but kids didn't get served any, and i seem to recall a minor thrashing for volunteering my seven year-old services as a taster..