Gloria's Bourbon Fruit Cake
Why I Love This Recipe
I got this fruit cake from a lady I used to work with many years ago. The plant is long gone but the cake is here to stay! I use blackberry brandy and change the fruit to whatever I feel like using at the time. I also soak the fruit longer, adding brandy as needed to keep it moist.
Ingredients You'll Need
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 jar (3-½ oz.) candied red cherries
2 cups of raisins
1 cup of bourbon
1-½ cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
7 eggs
3-½ cups flour (sift before measuring)
1-½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
Mix these together.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour a 10” Bundt or tube pan.
In large bowl combine nuts, cherries and raisins with ½ cup bourbon. Mix well and let stand at room temperature several hours or overnight. Liquid will be absorbed.
In large bowl, beat at medium speed: butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating for 4 minutes, scrapping sides of bowl. Batter will become thick, fluffy and lighter in color. At low speed gradually beat in flour mixture until smooth.
Add to fruit, combine well. Turn into prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Soak cheesecloth in rest of bourbon. Wrap cooled cake in cheesecloth and foil, refrigerate several days to mellow. Will keep for weeks in refrigerate.
