Ingredients
2 cups candied red cherries, halved
2 cups golden raisins
2 cups bourbon
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2-1/2 cups chopped pecans
6 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Directions
Combine the cherries and raisins in a large bowl then pour over 1-1/2 cups of the bourbon. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand overnight.

Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Line the bottom and side with unglazed brown paper (you can use the paper from clean grocery bags), then grease again.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg onto waxed paper. Remove 1/2 cup of the flour mixture and sprinkle over the pecans in a bowl then toss to mix.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a small bowl until stiff but not dry.

Beat the butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl using an electric mixer at high speed for 3 minutes or until fluffy.

Fold in the soaked fruit and any extra bourbon that may be in the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the flour mixture and pecans. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tube pan.

Bake at 275 degrees for 3-1/2 hours or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen around the inside and outside edges with a knife then turn onto a towel lined rack. Remove the paper and allow to cool completely.

To store: Wrap the cake in cheesecloth soaked in the remaining 1/2 cup of bourbon. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in a tin with a tight fitting lid. Wait for at least 48 hours before cutting so that the cake will slice neatly. The cake will keep for months.