Bourbon Fruitcake

(Variation of one in A Texas Hill Country Cookbook)

½ lb. candied cherries, cut in half

1 - 2 c. dried apricots, chopped

½ lb. white raisins

2 c. bourbon

2 ¼ c. sugar 1 c. brown sugar

¾ lb. butter, room temp. 6 eggs (separated)

5 c. flour 2 t. nutmeg

1 t. baking powder 1 lb. shelled pecans

Soak fruit in bourbon several hours or overnight. Pam two 10" tube pans or four loaf pans. Oven 300 degrees. Mix 1 T. flour with the pecans in a bowl. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. In another large bowl cream butter and sugars. Mix in egg yolks. Mix in dry ingredients (dough will be stiff.) Add fruit and bourbon and mix. If very, very stiff a little more bourbon. Gently fold this mixture with the egg whites. Then gently stir in the pecans. Divide batter among pans. Bake for 1½ -2 hours. (Check with toothpick for doneness.) After removing from oven, immediately looses edge. Let cool 5-10 minutes then turn out cakes. Let cool. Wrap or place in storage container. You may dribble extra bourbon on before sealing (or put a bourbon soaked cheese cloth in the center of the hole left by the tube.) I do both. Let age 1-3 weeks before using. Keeps about 2 months at room temperature ...freeze if you plan to keep it longer.