Kentucky Pecan Bourbon Cake
["1 lb. shelled pecans", "1/2 c. butter", "3 eggs, separated", "1 1/2 c. flour", "1 tsp. baking powder", "1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar", "1/2 lb. seeded raisins", "2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg", "1/2 (4 oz.) bottled-in-bond Kentucky Bourbon whiskey", "jumbo pecan halves and candied cherries (for decorating top of cake)"]
["Break pecan pieces with fingers or chop very coarsely; cut raisins in half and set aside.", "Measure the flour after sifting once; then sift twice more.", "Take 1/2 cup of this flour and mix with nuts and raisins.", "To the rest of the flour, add the baking powder and sift again.", "Cream butter and sugar.", "Add yolks of eggs one at a time, beating until mixture is smooth and lemon colored. Soak the nutmeg in the whiskey for at least 10 minutes, then add to the butter mixture, alternating with the flour and beating as the batter is being blended.", "When it is finished, it looks and tastes a great deal like eggnog.", "Slowly fold the raisins and nuts into the batter.", "Last of all, fold in the egg whites, stiffly beaten with a few grains of salt."]
["pecans", "butter", "eggs", "flour", "baking powder", "sugar", "seeded raisins", "freshly grated nutmeg", "Kentucky Bourbon whiskey", "jumbo pecan"]