White Whiskey Cake

This is an extemely rich, heavy cake. Serve it after a
lighter meal such as seafood.

2 sticks butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp vanilla

1-2 cups whole walnuts or pecans

1-1 1/2 cups whole pitted dates

1 cup whole maraschino cherries, stemmed and well drained

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup bourbon or other whiskey

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and cream mixture again. Sift

together. Sift flour with baking soda and add to creamed mixture, alternately with

sour cream. Add vanilla. Gently fold in nuts, dates and cherries. Pour batter into a

tube pan that has been greased well and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for

1 hour and 20 minutes. Test cake and bake a little bit longer if necessary.

Have the orange juice, sugar and whiskey mixed in a bowl and ready to pour

over cake as soon as you remove it from the oven. Do not turn cake upside down

to cool. Do not remove from cake pan until it is completely cold, at least 3 hours.

Cool in refrigerator overnight and before serving, douse with additional whiskey,

if you desire.