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1
Position oven rack 1/3 up from bottom of oven; preheat oven to 350.
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2
Butter a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/4 inch loaf pan; dust it with fine, dry bread crumbs, then, over a piece of paper, tap to shake out excess crumbs.
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3
Sift together the flour, baking powder, mace, and salt; set aside.
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4
Mix the lemon rind and juice together; set aside.
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5
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter; add in the vanilla, and then the sugar and beat to mix well.
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6
Add in the yolks and beat well.
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7
On low speed add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the whiskey in two additions, scraping the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula and beating only until incorporated after each addition.
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8
Remove bowl from the mixer; stir in the lemon rind and juice, candied peel, raisins, caraway seeds, and pecans.
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9
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a definite shape but are not stiff or dry; fold them into the batter.
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10
Turn batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
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11
With a spoon, form a shallow trench, lengthwise down the middle of the cake (that makes a more level top, less of a mound, when baked).
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12
Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until the pick comes out clean.
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13
While the cake is baking, if it begins to darken too much, cover it loosely with foil.
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14
As you remove the cake from the oven, spread the softened butter over the top.
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15
The top of the cake will have formed a deep crackit is ok.
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16
Let the cake stand in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes; then cover it with another rack, turn over the pan and the rack, remove the pan, and carefully turn the cake right side up to cool on the rack.
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17
It is best to wrap and refrigerate this for at least a few hours, or overnight before slicingit slices best when it is cold; may slice with serrated knife.
